THE Sunraysia community has thrown its support behind a little boy who suffered horrific burns in a Wentworth house fire this month.
A GoFundMe campaign to raise $15,000 for the care and recovery of Elijah Whitton, 2, has passed the $20,000 mark.
Elijah was left with full-thickness burns to 42 per cent of his body after the May 1 fire in Ruby Street, and is now in intensive care in the Royal Children's Hospital in Melbourne.
The toddler was at home that afternoon when a washing machine or a clothes dryer caught fire, the flames quickly engulfing the rest of the house.
His brother Jacob, 12, was the first to notice the blaze. After calling the fire brigade, Jacob turned off the house’s electricity supply as their mother guided Elijah to the home’s entrance, where he could be doused with water.
Elijah was only wearing a nappy at the time of the fire, something his sister, Alyia Whitton, is grateful for. She said the outcome would have been even worse if he'd been wearing clothes.
Ms Whitton has described her brother as an energetic and loving boy who loved to dance and was always trying to help people or make them laugh.
"He's beyond loving. I can't express that enough," she said. "He loves helping, he loves dancing, he's very humorous. He always puts a smile on your face, regardless of any situation."
"He's such an energetic and active kid. He's two years old, but he's incredibly smart. He's very conscious and aware."
Ms Whitton said her brother was fighting hard but that this was just the beginning of a very long journey. Elijah was having his third operation yesterday and the severe damage to his red blood cells had left him also fighting an infection.
On Monday, Ms Whitton launched a GoFundMe page on behalf of her brother to help pay for what will be extensive medical care, both during his long stay in the hospital and his home recovery afterwards.
The local community has thrown its support behind Elijah's fight with both donations and support messages flooding the page.
One message directly to Elijah said that "you can do this, keep fighting little darling boy. You and your family are in my thoughts".
Ms Whitton said she was very thankful for the community's support, especially the care given at Mildura Base Public Hospital.
"On behalf of me and my family I would like to thank the Mildura community and the Mildura hospital. Obviously he had to be flown (to Melbourne) but they did an amazing job of making sure that he was stable enough to be flown here," she said.
Donations to the fundraising campaign for Elijah can be made at gofund.me/b9c1a97c.