Retired Texas teacher suffers severe burns in camper fire

GEORGETOWN, Texas - A former Georgetown and Liberty Hill middle school teacher is fighting for his life in a Colorado hospital.

He lost everything in a camper fire, including his two dogs.

"Ugh, it's pretty devastating," said Kylie Bruner, Todd Greenberg’s friend. "He meant a lot to everybody."

They met through the overland camping community.

Greenberg is a retired middle school teacher from Georgetown and Liberty Hill ISD.

Since retiring, Bruner said one of his favorite activities was traveling from place to place in his camper.

"He's just living the epitome of what I think everybody would like to live," said Bruner.

That beloved camper is nothing but ashes now.

Early this month, a fire swallowed it in the middle of the night while he was camping in Gunnison County, western Colorado.

Bruner said the sheriff's office said they did not know why the fire started, but it left Greenberg with severe burns on about half of his body.

"It's terrifying," said Shelly Caramanian, Greenberg’s sister. "The things I remember watching Grey's Anatomy or something on television with the burns are awful, and it's as awful as they say."

Caramanian spoke to FOX 7 Austin from Greenberg’s Denver hospital. Greemberg is her only sibling.

"Today was a good day," said Caramanian. "He passed his swallow study so he could have ice tea, which is what he wanted."

While his family and friends celebrate his daily wins in recovery, they still mourn the loss of two other lives taken by this fire.

Otto and Ranger, Greenberg’s dogs, were just as much a part of their friends' circle.

"I mean we all just, ugh, we've had a chance to, two weeks to mourn this and Todd hasn't had a chance yet," said Bruner.

Bruner knows nothing can replace his two dogs. But she wanted to do something to help, so she did what just about any good friend would do, start a fundraiser to help him get back on his feet.

"He's a retired teacher, you know, there were going to be medical bills," said Bruner. We knew everything he had was in there. It got destroyed. His car got destroyed. His camper got destroyed. His lifestyle was taken from him. I just really wanted him to have something to be able to repair his life, however he sees fit whenever he comes out of this."

So far, she's raised more than $66,000 for him.

"I told him about the fundraiser, and his eyes got real big," said Caramanian. "That was before he was able to speak." 

Until he can say it on his own, his older sister said they're all so grateful.

"It's really been heartwarming," said Caramanian. "It's just really neat the way everybody comes together to support us even just in prayer."

If you would like to donate to the fundraiser, click here.