About the author
WHEN MAREN WAS TWO YEARS OLD, SHE WANTED TO MAKE MACARONI AND CHEESE WITH HER DAD. IN A PIVOTAL MOMENT, SHE ACCIDENTALLY POURED AN ENTIRE POT OF BOILING WATER ONTO HERSELF. SHE WAS BURNED ON 40 PERCENT OF HER BODY, INCLUDING HER HEAD, FACE, HANDS, ARMS, TORSO, AND LEGS.
THE THREE WEEKS OF TREATMENT THAT FOLLOWED INCLUDED MANY PAINFUL SURGERIES, COMPLICATIONS AND AN INFECTION DIAGNOSIS THAT NEARLY KILLED HER. EVEN TODAY, MAREN STILL RECEIVES LASER TREATMENTS ON HER CHIN.
ONCE MAREN MIRACULOUSLY SURVIVED HER PHYSICAL INJURIES, SHE BEGAN TO TEND TO HER EMOTIONAL INJURIES. SHE WAS INSECURE ABOUT HER SCARS, AND SHE TRIED TO COVER THEM UP WITH LONG SLEEVES AND PANTS.
MAREN OVERCAME THESE SCARS BY DISCOVERING HER PASSION FOR PHOTOGRAPHY. PHOTOGRAPHY PROVIDED HER WITH A CREATIVE OUTLET, SOMETHING TO GET EXCITED ABOUT AND LOOK FORWARD TO.
MOST IMPORTANTLY, PHOTOGRAPHY HELPED MAREN FIND PURPOSE. Now, HER GOAL IS TO INCREASE THE REPRESENTATION OF MINORITY POPULATIONS-LIKE BURN SURVIVORS-IN THE MEDIA. INSTEAD OF ALLOWING HER BURNS TO BE THE MASTER OF HER LIFE, MAREN USES THEM TO SERVE OTHERS AND HERSELF.