PHOENIX (AP) -- A tabloid promised Monday to give money to an organization for burn victims after labeling as ''ugly'' a police officer who suffered disfiguring burns in a crash while on duty.
American Media Inc., owner of the Weekly World News, which ran a list of the ''top 10 ugliest people'' in its Feb. 7 issue, agreed to make a donation to the Foundation for Burns and Trauma.
The tabloid also ran a post-surgery photo of the officer and his wife with the article.
The amount of the donation to the foundation, which provides care to burn victims in Arizona, was not disclosed but those involved called it ''significant.''
Officer Jason Schechterle suffered fourth-degree burns to his hands and face when his patrol car was hit from behind by a taxi and exploded in flames in 2001.
''Something bad has been turned into something very good,'' Schechterle said at a news conference Monday.
American Media _ which owns the tabloid featuring articles on UFOs and the whereabouts of Elvis _ fired the employees responsible for the inclusion of Schecterle's photo in the ''ugly'' list, said Stuart Zakim, senior vice president for American Media. He said the tabloid was ''incredibly happy'' to make the donation.
Schechterle was so badly burned that surgeons had to strip away his face, covered in dead tissue, to save his life.
The photo that appeared in the Weekly World News was one taken by The Associated Press for a series of award-winning stories chronicling Schechterle's accident and fight to recover.
