A burns survivor who suffered her horrific injuries when just two-years-old is now pregnant with her first child.
Harley Mallow, 23, from North Carolina, suffered 80 per cent burns after the washing machine at home burst into flames, only managing to escape after her quick-thinking father threw her out of the door of the room.
She was immediately airlifted to hospital and went on to have over 20 surgeries following the horrific accident, which left her with scars all over her body.
Harley used to hide her body after being bullied at school over her appearance, but that all changed when she met husband Josh.
The couple are now expecting their first child together, and Harley insists she wouldn’t ‘change anything’ about her body.
Harley Mallow, 23, from North Carolina, suffered severe burns as a toddler. She is now four months pregnant with her first child
Harley (pictured in hospital as a child) suffered 80 per cent burns after the washing machine at home burst into flames
Describing how she suffered severe burns as a child, Harley, who is four months pregnant, said: ‘In June 1997 when I was two-and-a-half-years-old, I was taking a nap in the back room and my little sister was asleep in the living room.
‘My parents were outside with some friends. My oldest sister was just getting home from school when she saw the smoke and told a family friend.
‘The family friend told my oldest sister, Michelle, to run and tell my parents as she ran in to get us but could only get to my little sister, Sierra, due to the smoke and fire blocking her from getting to me.
‘My dad had to pour water on himself and knocked on the back door to get to me. He ended up throwing me out the door because the floors started to cave in.’
Harley had to have over 20 surgeries following the horrific accident, but was left with scars all over her body
Harley says husband Josh has changed the way she feels about her appearance, with the pair marrying last October
She explained how her mother performed CPR on her until the medics arrived, and she was air lifted to hospital.
‘I spent at least three months [in hospital], including my third birthday. I was burned over eighty percent of my body and have went through numerous surgeries,’ Harley said.
‘My dad survived with minimal scarring that you can no longer see.’
From the age of 14, Harley was picked on at school about her appearance, which made her feel insecure.
‘I battled with my physical appearance starting at the age of fourteen and was picked on all throughout school,’ she recalled.
Harley has had over 20 surgeries since the childhood accident. She is pictured here after having surgery on her face in 2012
‘I hated everything about myself. I didn’t like wearing anything that showed my legs, feet, or arms, so I would tend to avoid any contact with people when I was out in public due to people staring at me.
‘I was tired of being so depressed about everything. I would even physically harm myself when I was younger and really just wanted to die,’ Harley said.
‘People telling me that I was better off dead didn’t make my situation better. I had a lot of skin grafts done and some plastic surgery done.
‘The physical part was rough, but the mental part was the worst. Every now and then I’ll have slip ups.’
It wasn’t until she was in her early twenties, when she met her husband Josh, that she began to feel differently about her appearance.
Harley, who is expecting her first child, says she now feels more confident in her body
The mother-to-be (pictured at her baby shower with her husband) says she hopes to teach her children to ‘accept everyone who may be different than them’
The couple got married in front of their family and friends last October.
‘For the most part, I’m very happy today, my husband plays a huge part in that,’ Harley explained.
‘We like to give all the credit to his best friend. He tagged Josh in a picture on Facebook and I added him because I thought he was cute.
‘Then a few months later Josh ended up messaging me – the first time we actually hung out was when we went to The Barnum and Bailey circus and we pretty much hit it off and have been together ever since.
‘When I found out I was pregnant, we were both honestly a little scared. We had just got married a month before we conceived.
Harley, pictured as a child after the accident, described how she was bullied at school
She was airlifted to hospital following the horrific accident. Her mother had performed CPR on her until medics arrived
Harley managed to escape the fire thanks to her quick-thinking father, who threw her out of the room
Despite living her life hiding in the past, Harley is now more confident in her own skin.
She now says she would never get rid of the scars that make her the person she is now.
‘I would hope that by always showing my kids love that they will treat others with love and kindness and accept everyone who may be different than them,’ Harley said
‘I’m definitely a different person now; so much more happy and outgoing. Talking about my accident is so easy now.
Harley, who is now expecting her first child with husband Josh, says she’s a ‘different person’ now to the one growing up
The mother-to-be admitted she was ‘scared’ after discovering she was pregnant, because it came so quickly after the wedding
‘I’m not sure how life would be without my scars. I wouldn’t change anything as of now anyway. They make me the person I am today.
‘Certain clothes don’t fit right due to lack of muscle tissue and one foot being burned so shoes don’t fit that great.’
Harley added: ‘I guess the toughest part is learning to deal with life and people making fun of me, which is something no one should have to get used to.
‘The majority of the feedback I get is positive now, but I still have the negative comments, however, I just overlook them.
‘My advice is to let the negative feedback be what builds you up. Don’t let them win, and never feed into it.
‘React with kindness because they can’t feed off of that and as long as they can’t retaliate they won’t continue with it. You’re better than what people say, and life does get better.’
Harley says she no longer hides her body, after covering her arms and legs up at school
Harley wore a stunning wedding dress on her big day back in October, when she tied the knot with husband Josh