SCENTED candles are the perfect way to make your home feel like a cosy sanctuary during the darker months.

But for Tricia Davidson a candle turned her home from a tranquil paradise into a living nightmare.

The mum, 30, and her husband Connor, 29, thought nothing of lighting one in her home back in July 2022 but has lived to regret it after it almost killed her baby.

And now Tricia is determined to warn other families of the dangers of having candles in your home.

Speaking exclusively to Fabulous, Tricia says: “All it took was one second and our perfect day turned into a living nightmare.”

It had been like any other day. Tricia, who lives in Canada, had spent the day shopping while Connor stayed at home with their three kids, Jasper, five and twins Rhys and Phia, 19 months.

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“Instead of coming back to total mayhem I’d opened the front door to hugs and smiles.” the mum recalls. 

“I could even smell the lovely aroma of Connor’s favourite candles – they always made the house feel welcoming.”

After serving the kids up their dinner, Tricia suggested taking the family out on their first ever cinema trip together.

“It was a Saturday night so I figured it didn’t matter if the kids had a later bedtime,” she says.

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But when the family returned home, they realised in horror that they had left the candle burning high on the shelf in the living room.

Immediately blowing it out Tricia was relieved that nothing disastrous had happened while they were enjoying the film.

As Connor helped Jasper brush his teeth and Tricia let the French bulldog Peach out, the twins sat in the living room.

“I turned to open the back door when I suddenly heard a heart stopping scream,” Tricia says.

“Flying around I saw Rhys in the living room, standing on his tiptoes on a chair.

“He was right next to the high ledge where the candle had burned.

“Heart in my mouth I flew towards him, realising in horror that in the few seconds I’d been in the kitchen he’d pushed the chair over, climbed up and grabbed the candle. 

“It had tipped, sending hot wax pouring all over him.”

Tricia desperately tried to rub the wash from her son’s face but realised in terror that there was also wax inside his mouth.

“When the candle tipped over and he’d screamed, the burning liquid must have poured in,” Tricia says.

“I felt sick with fear.  Then suddenly Rhys was fighting to breathe and his body went limp in my arms as he turned blue.

“The hospital was only four minutes away, but every second felt like an hour. All I could do was pray for him to be okay.”

When Tricia arrived at the hospital doctors immediately performed CPR on Rhys before he was rushed to a better equipped hospital.

Two minutes after arriving at the second hospital Rhys went into respiratory arrest and stopped breathing and he was put onto a ventilator to keep him alive.

“All I could do was sit by Rhy’s side,” Tricia says.

“He looked so helpless. I wasn’t even able to hold him.

“I was in shock. How could my boy be in a critical condition, when just hours before we’d been having a wonderful family day together?”

An X-ray showed that the wax had travelled into Rhys’ lungs. Both were damaged but the left lung had partially collapsed. 

Tricia spent 11 days by her boy’s side praying for him to recover.

“No one could tell me if he’d suffered brain damage,” the mum says.

“Nobody knew if he’d be able to breathe on his own once they removed it. It was torture.

“I held my breath as doctors removed the machines. Time stood still. Then a miracle, I saw his chest rise on its own. It was amazing.

“Still the nightmare wasn’t over. Opening his eyes and looking at me, it was if I was a stranger. 

“My baby didn’t know who I was.

“At least I could cradle him in my arms. He couldn’t even lift his head but after 12 endless days, holding him close felt incredible. I didn’t want to let him go.”

Doctors then inserted a suction tube to try and remove the wax from his lungs and finally the family were given some good news.

Rhys had suffered no brain damage.

“Every day Rhys was getting stronger, his cheeky smile returning,” Tricia says.

“And there was no doubt in my mind now, he knew that I was his mum.”

After 39 days in hospital Rhys could walk again and was well enough to be discharged and life returned to normal for the family.

“Fifteen months later and thankfully Rhys is doing incredibly well,” Tricia says.

“His huge smile and boundless energy match both his brother and sister.

“But the ramifications of that night are still with us.

“As well as the enormous financial impact, the terror of almost losing your child doesn’t vanish just because you’ve left the hospital. I struggled hugely with anxiety.

“I also feared that people would blame us for what happened to Rhys. I decided to turn that fear into an opportunity to raise awareness.

“This accident wasn’t caused by neglect. Connor made sure that he put the candle high up. 

But Rhys still managed to reach it and disaster struck. A few seconds is all it took.

“I beg other parents, don’t have any candles in your home. 

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“If this happened to us, it could happen to you. And I wouldn’t wish this nightmare on anyone.”

The family is raising money to help with the financial strain of Rhy’s accident – you can donate here

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