Burn victim rededicates her life to God

Months after rededicating herself to her Christian faith, burn victim Alecia King has decided to release any feelings of resentment and vengeance towards her alleged attacker, saying she has forgiven him.

Speaking with THE STAR last week, the 19-year-old said that, although a grievous act was committed, she harbours no hatred and has learnt to fully embrace her scars.

"The Lord said, in order to forgive us of our trespasses, we have to forgive others. So yes, I do forgive [him] for what he has done to me for sure. I don't hate him anymore and, when I look in the mirror, I don't see him beside me anymore," she said.

"I am a beautiful woman and, had I not forgiven him, I would not look so beautiful because all that burden that is on me was because I didn't forgive him. My heart is free and light now and I wish [him] all the best in his endeavours and may the Lord bless and guide and protect him. I want to walk the streets of gold so I have to let him go," King added.

In August 2023, King was doused with gasoline and set ablaze as she slept in Redwood, St Catherine. She miraculously survived and received help from the Sanmerna Foundation that got her medical treatment at Shriner's Hospital in Texas. Her ex-boyfriend Antwone Grey has been charged with the crime but has not been convicted.

King said that, although he will have to face the full length of the law for his life-changing and vicious actions, she refuses to condemn him.

"I keep praying for him, as I want his heart to change and I do hope he will never do this to another female. I hope that someday he can change his life and become a Christian as well. Antoine Grey, you just have to face the hands of the law but I won't be the one to condemn you at all and I do hope that you have forgive yourself for what you have done," she said.

King said she got baptised when she was 16 but became a backslider shortly after.

"I knew God before He did such miraculous things for me. At that time, I knew I wasn't serious but I wanted God. I backslide about a month after and I was out in the world confused and getting a lot of hurt. Family and friends were hurting me and my life was just falling apart," she said.

She said she regretted straying from the 'straight and narrow' but said she believe that it was the Almighty who spared her life. Following one of her surgeries at Shriner's, King bled uncontrollably and doctors were reportedly moments away from declaring her dead.

"Maybe if I didn't [backslide] God would have opened my eyes in vision to see that this would have happened to me and I would have backed away from the area, and so on. Even the day before I got burnt, the Holy Ghost took me over, so I know that God was always with me. A lot of people think I didn't know God but I was just out in the world and, even when this happened to me, I was still there. But, now I repent of those things and I am on my Christian journey and I am not turning back," she said.

King went into a state of depression after she was trolled and discriminated by some online users, but she said those days are behind her. Having lost her biological parents years ago, King said the Almighty has blessed her with new parents through Julian Mendez and Robert White.

"TikTok helped me to get back on my groove and I knew God was the one who helped me. Even though media is the devil's playground, I can tell you God was pulling me closer to Him all the time. I am a part of the Royal Priesthood Ministry and I can't tell a day when they have not put a smile on my face. One of my biggest adjustments is my attire, as I am now dressing myself like a woman of God. I have also stopped colouring my hair and I don't wear nails, make-up or eye lashes anymore," King said.