After a work accident left 32 percent of Dave Schury’s body in burns, he knew he wanted to help other burn victims and their families so they would not go through recovery alone.

Schury was burned in April 2000 while working on high-voltage power lines for his job at Commonwealth Edison. A ball of fire shot out of the equipment and engulfed him.

“I didn’t know what it was at the time,” Schury said. “I just closed my eyes and mouth and didn’t know what was going to happen.”

He willingly returned to work after four months, and recovered in about a year.

“When I came out of recovery, there was nothing to help my family, nothing for me,” Schury said. “We didn’t have anyone to ask those tough questions.”

He did not want other burn victims to go through recovery alone, so he began looking for a way to help. From a friend, Schury learned about Burn Camp, and in the summer of 2001 he spent his first week at camp.

The main objective of camp is to teach self-esteem to children who have been burn victims, Schury said. Many children are teased for their burn scars, but at camp they are with children like them.

From connections he made at camp, Schury began volunteering at the Loyola University Medical System’s Burn Unit. He usually goes to the hospital once a week to meet with burn survivors and their families, and answers the difficult questions that no one could answer for him.

“I don’t feel the need to do it because I got through,” Schury said. “I do it because I love to do it, and talk to people and give them hope.”

Schury was nominated by Exelon Corp., which owns ComEd, for the Jefferson Award, a national award for community and public service. He learned in May he would receive the award.

He almost did not attend the June 15 and 16 award ceremonies in Washington because it conflicted with burn camp. However, his wife persuaded him to go.

Schury met the 66 Jefferson Award winners. Hearing the stories of the other winners inspired Schury to expand the scope of his volunteering.

“I know what I do is good, but why should I stop now?” Schury said. “That’s what the Jefferson Award did to me.”

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Notable Inspired by the other Jefferson Award recipients, Schury is developing another way to help burn victims. The plan is in the works, but he doesn’t want to reveal too much information about it just yet.

Quotable “Never give up hope.”

Philosophy “To give hope and see if I can make someone’s life a little easier. I don’t have any certain thing to live by, because what works today might not work tomorrow.”

Favorites
MOVIE “It’s a Wonderful Life”
FOOD Desserts
HOBBIES Golf, carpentry work
SPORTS TEAM Chicago White Sox