‘I’m just extremely thankful to be here’: Memorial day weekend boat explosion injures Garner man

GARNER, N.C. (WNCN) — A Garner man is spending another night at the UNC burn center after a freak accident over Memorial Day weekend.

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Being on the water and fishing is no stranger to Connor Gecewicz.

Saturday, Gecewicz and his friends set sail off the coast of Topsail Beach to go fishing, but a mile into the trip, he noticed the bilge pump was not working during their safety check. He went down to check what exactly was wrong.

“I just remember watching the flames just tornado swirl around the cubby and then come straight up at my face,” Gecewicz said.

He said the next thing he knew, he was jumping into the water.

“I don’t know how I reacted as fast I did,” Gecewicz said.

However, that fast acting from both him and his friends is what he believes saved his life.

Gecewicz said his friends immediately got to work to put out the flames that they described were about 6 feet tall.

“Chaotic, yes, but also at the same time everybody remained extremely calm, and I was with those guys for a reason, those are my dudes for a reason,” Gecewicz said. “Whenever something like that happens, you really find out what your fight or flight is.”

He is now at the UNC burn center with second-degree burns covering 32% of his body.

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“I didn’t have any major loss, my vision is still okay, my lungs are still okay, so it could’ve gone a whole lot worse, so I’m just extremely thankful to be here,” Gecewicz said.

Gecewicz said he is leaning into his faith that one day life will resume back to normal.

“I know that god is going to help ,me through this and the best way to do it is with a smile on my face, knowing that I am here to see another day. I’m going to be able to get on a boat again, and I’m going to be able to fish again. So, I’m just extremely thankful for that,” Gecewicz said.

Doctors expect Gecewicz to make a full recovery, but he is expected to be in the hospital for at least another week.

His family has created a donation link and is asking for any help as Gecewicz prepares to take on extensive hospital bills.

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