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EXCLUSIVE: Children who survived Lake Lanier explosion speak
EXCLUSIVE: Children who survived Lake Lanier explosion speak
EXCLUSIVE: Children who survived Lake Lanier explosion speak

Published on: 07/22/2025

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ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - The children rescued from a burning boat on Lake Lanier after it exploded on July 4 are out of the hospital. They spoke exclusively with Atlanta News First.

“It’s a blessing to be home, God had us through this whole thing,” said Faith Arnold, the 12-year-old who was on the boat with her siblings when it exploded on Lake Lanier.

From that terrifying scene, to a scene of healing. The six children that were on the boat are back home recovering.

Arnold said she is “just happy me and my brothers survived, and my mama, because this could have been worse and something could have happened even worse than this.”

The mother, father and their six children went out on Lake Lanier July 4. They said they ate sandwiches on their family boat and played in the water.

As they headed back in, their father turned on the blower fans but the engine would not start, so he called a tow and said they could not determine the problem either.

When they tried to crank it again, the boat exploded.

The youngest of them was five-year-old Michael Kurtz.

“I was burning. I was burning right here. I was burning everywhere. My mom ...[she] got burned a lot,” said Michael.

“Everybody was just going crazy. We had to climb on top of the boat to get to the rescue boat. And it was just a lot going on,” said Arnold.

“It was heated, it was really hot. It was like I was going to die, but my mom came and saved me in time,” 10-year-old Caleb Kurtz said.

The father and his 15-year-old son had minor injuries. Their 13-year-old son had second-degree burns on his legs. The youngest four spent several days at Grady for third-degree burns to several areas of their bodies.

Arnold said, “At first I was in pain but then God had me and the told me i was going to get through it.”

The kids returned home recently.

“I don’t feel no pain,” Arnold said.

Caleb said “sometimes I feel pain, and itchiness. and I’m still working out the stiffness in my right leg.”

Faith added, “I feel amazing, amazing to be home, and everything.”

Their mother is still recovering at Grady with third degree burns to her face, arms, hands and other areas of her body.

However for the kids at home, it’s not back to usual just yet.

“We get unwrapped everyday, we take medicine everyday. After we take a shower they put lotion, ointment on our legs and body and wrap us back up again,” said Caleb.

Arnold said, “for me all I do is just get a rag and dap my skin, and get all this off and put Aquaphor on it, and I don’t unwrap everything.”

Arnold said she looks forward to dancing when she’s fully healed.

“Once i fully heal my goal is to go back outside and start play soccer,” said Caleb.

“A blessing to be home and have everybody heal. And I can’t wait for my mama to get out of the hospital,” said Arnold.

The family has a GoFundMe set up, click here to be directed to their link.

Atlanta News First does not vet or endorse individual GoFundMes. Donate at your own risk.

Copyright 2025 WANF. All rights reserved.

News Source : https://www.walb.com/2025/07/22/exclusive-children-who-survived-lake-lanier-explosion-speak/

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