What began as a seemingly harmless experiment inspired by a social media video quickly turned into a terrifying emergency for 12-year-old Caden Ballard. 💔

While at home with his older brother in Coleman, Texas, Caden attempted to recreate an experiment involving a bottle of rubbing alcohol and an open flame. The boys initially thought it looked “cool,” but they soon discovered how dangerous the experiment could be.

Because isopropyl alcohol can produce a flame that is difficult to see, Caden believed the fire had gone out.

Then he noticed something was wrong.

As he reached for the bottle to throw it away, his shirt suddenly caught fire.

Within moments, Caden suffered serious burns to his face, chest, arms and stomach, affecting roughly 11% of his body.

Thankfully, his older brother reacted quickly. He pulled Caden’s burning shirt away and instructed him to stop, drop and roll, helping prevent the flames from causing even more severe injuries. ❤️‍🩹

Caden was rushed to the hospital and later underwent surgery before being transferred to Shriners Pediatric Burn Hospital in Galveston for specialized treatment.

He has since returned home and is continuing his recovery as an outpatient. Doctors believe he may experience scarring and plan to use compression garments to help manage the healing process. Because Caden is still growing, his family has also been warned that additional reconstructive treatment could potentially be needed in the future.

His mother, Christina, is now urging parents to talk with their children about the dangers of copying viral experiments online.

“Never ᴀssume something is safe just because you see it on social media,” is the message she hopes other families will take away from Caden’s experience. 🙏

What could have ended in an even greater tragedy was made less severe because his brother acted within seconds.

Now, Caden faces a long road of healing—but his family is grateful that he is home, surrounded by the people who love him. ❤️‍🩹🙏