A Southern California woman set on fire by her boyfriend will stay in a medically induced coma for at least two months to escape the unbearable pain of her recovery, her father told NBC 7 on Thursday.
“But whether or not she will remember being set on fire, they won't know," father Ron Fuller said. All of us are hoping she won't remember that.
His daughter Lynn Fuller tried breaking up with Vidal Webb, her boyfriend of 25 years, on Dec. 27, he said. At about 5 the next morning, Webb poured flammable liquid over Lynn as she slept in a Poway home and lit her on fire.
Four others in the house heard Lynn’s screams and ran to her aid, pulling her into the shower and dousing her with water.
Since then, the 43-year-old woman has been at the UCSD Medical Center’s burn unit with burns on 75 percent of her body. Ron Fuller and his wife are staying at their home in Virginia because doctors say now not would not be a good time to see her.
“I'm not so angry as I am shocked because neither my wife nor I knew this fellow (Webb) had those kinds of tendencies,” said Fuller. “When we were around him, he was always a nice person, ‘Yes sir, no sir, yes ma’am.’”
Court records show Webb, 41, had legal problems related to drinking and reportedly a record of assaults in another state. Fuller told NBC 7 Webb’s moving business had gone bad and he started drinking.
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After the fire, deputies tracked Webb to a home in City Heights, where he prompted a nine-hour standoff. He was eventually arrested and taken to jail. The next day, Webb jumped from the second floor of the jail cells and died according to officials.
“When you have drinking problems, mental problems and you don't have someone who knows how to take care of those problems, this is what happens,” Ron said.
But he said it is God’s place to judge Webb, not his. The father, who is desperately concerned about his daughter’s health, said he hates Webb’s deeds, not the man himself.
However, he is not quite ready to forgive Webb.
“Not only did he damage Lynn, but my other daughter and granddaughter and my oldest daughter’s two friends. This thing has traumatized them,” Ron said.
His message to anyone who thinks about doing something similar: go get counseling. He said his message for all is to pray for his daughter, for those traumatized by this event and for Webb’s family.
Ron admitted one ray of light that has shined on his family is those who have given money to the Lynn Fuller and Family Recovery Fund.
“We just can't say enough about all those people who are helping and supporting,” said Ron. “We want to thank each and every one from the bottom of our hearts. We are thankful.”
The fund goes to pay Lynn’s medical bills, and there will certainly be plenty of those in her future. Ron said Lynn’s vital signs are good. She had operations Monday and Tuesday to remove burned skin to reduce the risk of infection. She also has a risk of bleeding, so she required seven pints of blood on Monday.
