Woman home after suffering severe burns

A woman in Lee County, who was set on fire by a man, is back home. She told WINK News it was all over $10.

On Sept. 18, Thelma Shelby suffered severe burns to her body when Terry Palmer, a friend of Shelby’s daughter, poured gasoline on her and set her on fire.

“I’m a strong survivor,” Shelby said.

The last few months have been excruciatingly painful for Shelby, since she was burned at her home.

“Thank God I lived to see another day,” Shelby said. “I’m glad to be home. I ain’t seen my family in three whole months.”

Shelby still struggles to live with her pain and the painful thought of the night she was burned.

“I can’t do it no more,” Shelby said. “It hurts all in my arms, all in my body, all in my chest, and mostly in my legs,” Shelby said.

When Palmer invaded Shelby’s home, he was targeting Shelby’s daughter. He set her on fire after they both refused to give him money. Shelby is glad her daughter was not harmed.

Shelby spent three months of healing at a burn unit at a Tampa hospital and is now completely dependent on her husband and children.

“I feel unwanted,” Shelby said. “I can’t do the things. I got the shakes and everything. See how bad it is? I can’t even hold a spoon in this hand.”

Thelma is afraid to leave her home, but she is happy to be surrounded by her family.

Shelby plans to press charges to the fullest against Palmer.

“I’m a living testimony,” Shelby said.