NC Chief Burned at Wildfire Recovering

    March 3, 2022
    Otto Fire and Rescue Chief Terry Rholetter Jr. is undergoing his fifth surgery today after he sustained serious burns last month.
    Otto Fire and Rescue/Facebook
    Otto Fire and Rescue Chief Terry Rholetter Jr.
    Otto Fire and Rescue Chief Terry Rholetter Jr.

    An Otto fire chief who was seriously burned battling a wildfire in February is undergoing his fifth surgery today.

    Chief/Captain Terry Rholetter Jr. underwent surgery Tuesday, and today doctors will begin skingrafting his injured, according to a post on the fire department's Facebook.

    "(He) is doing better. He is off ventilation and is looking better.... He is able to speak some but not alot and hard to understand," the department shared. 

    Tholetter was burned Feb. 12 battling a wildfire in Macon County.

    A GoFundMe was established to assist Rholetter with his recovery.

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