Name: Julie Saint-Fleur
Major: Elementary School Education
Hometown: South Florida Julie’s story shows people that you can overcome any circumstances that you may face. She was in the hospital for four weeks due to her injury and decided to continue on with her schooling. Also, she got $4,000 donated to her from go fund me to help cover medical expenses.
HC Broward: How has being a burn survivor change your outlook on life?
Julie: It’s certainly showed me that life can change in like a blink of an eye. Everything is normal one minute, the next minute it can completely change. If you want to do something do it. Seize the moment. Don’t wait or put it off.
HC Broward: Share a little bit about the incident that day. Whatever you feel comfortable with sharing.
Julie: I was at a night club and they serve food. I was standing next to the kitchen area and these two customers got into it. One of them started shooting and someone kicked the fryer running from the gunshots and the oil hit me.
HC Broward: How were you able to forgive the guys that were fighting?
Julie: I don’t know who they are so I guess you can’t really be mad at somebody you don’t know. I don’t even know what he looks like or anything.
HC Broward: What were you most scared of when the incident happened?
Julie: Telling my mom. Her reaction. That was the last person I called when I got to the hospital. I just didn’t know how to tell her. If you have kids the last thing you want to hear is something like that happens to them.
HC Broward: What was her reaction when she got to the hospital?
Julie: She was in shock. Heartbroken.
HC Broward: What are you most thankful for after that or even in the process of all that?
Julie: Life. Living through it and not dying. I’m able to talk about it.
HC Broward: How do you find the courage to share the story with other people?
Julie: Just knowing that it help so many. To hear about it and knowing that you can live with scars and you can overcome a situation like this. It’s very important to let younger girls know that their outer appearance isn’t what they should focus on. That helps me continue to do what I do.
HC Broward: Do you have anything that you are most excited about in the future?
Julie: I guess just expanding and reaching out to people who need the inspiration.
HC Broward: I know that you are in school and had to go to school right after the situation. You got really good grades-As and B’s. Some people can’t stay motivated for a semester with just regular stuff like working and going to school. After that situation, you were able to keep your GPA up. How did you do that?
Julie: I wanted to get it done so bad. If you really want something bad enough you’re going to do it. I remember I fell on my way to class and everybody was like why are you going to school. I really wanted to get it done.
HC Broward: I know you have a business called newly you. How do you feel like your business can expand since you was saying if you want to do something just do it?
Julie: I am expanding to reach out to burn survivors. I came out with a shirt for burn survivors. I just want to continue since this is now a part of my life. I want to keep my business involve as well.
HC Broward: How did you feel when you saw that much people donated on go fund me?
Julie: That was crazy. You always see these go fund me and you’re like oh my gosh people don’t be donating. You doubt that it works but when I post it and I saw all these people that I didn’t know so willing to give me money; I was like wow that’s crazy. There are nice people in the world.
HC Broward: Is there anything else you want to add?
Julie: Hopefully, this time next year I can host a survivor run. It’s a 5k marathon and I just want to reach out to all survivor like cancer survivors. People who survive domestic abuse. Whoever survive anything in life.