254 Donors Raise R285K for Kempton Park Boy After Severe Burn Accident

• Three-year-old Peyton Wahl was admitted to Steve Biko Academic Hospital after falling into a bath filled with hot water
• Medical costs for Peyton’s treatment have climbed to an estimated R698,030, far exceeding the family’s initial expectations
• Peyton’s recovery hit a new setback as he developed an infection and fever while still in hospital

A three-year-old Kempton Park boy is fighting to recover in hospital after an accident that has left his family facing a medical bill nearing R700,000, and a community that refuses to let them face it alone.

Peyton Wahl was admitted to Steve Biko Academic Hospital after accidentally falling into a bath containing hot water, sustaining severe burn injuries. What followed was an overwhelming few days for those who love him most.

His family, along with campaign organiser Juliette du Toit, launched the Peyton Wahl Fund shortly after the accident as medical costs began mounting rapidly. Initial estimates placed treatment expenses at around R200,000. As doctors continued assessing Peyton’s injuries and the full extent of his condition became clearer, that figure rose sharply to an estimated R698,029. The fundraising target has since been revised to match that amount.

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An accident that changed everything

According to information shared with Briefly News, the family’s concerns have grown in recent days. Beyond the burn injuries themselves, Peyton has developed an infection and fever while still receiving treatment, adding a new complication to what is already a difficult recovery for a child so young. The family has also raised concerns about access to the pain medication he currently needs, citing a shortage at the hospital.

With treatment ongoing and further procedures potentially ahead, the family acknowledges the final cost could climb even higher.

Despite that uncertainty, the response from the public has been striking. In just six days, 254 donors contributed R285,156 towards the revised target, including R2,200 in offline donations. That represents 41% of the total goal, reached before the campaign had even completed its first week.

Some contributors know Peyton personally. Many are strangers who came across his story and chose to act.

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A community rallying around one little boy

Burn recovery for a young child can stretch across many stages, covering wound care, infection management, pain control and rehabilitation. For Peyton’s family, the financial pressure of navigating all of that while remaining present for their son is real.

Approximately R413,000 remains to be raised. The BackABuddy campaign has four months still to run, and the family has asked those who cannot contribute financially to keep Peyton in their thoughts and continue sharing his story.

More BackABuddy campaign stories

• The BackaBuddy campaign started for Hawks investigator Karl Sander after his coffee machine was stolen reached a significant financial milestone.
• A 12-year-old Mosotho boy, Nnete Leotlela, suffered severe injuries after five German Shepherds attacked him at a property he entered by mistake in Ha Abia, Maseru.
• A desperate mother has made an emotional plea to get her baby boy, Zayden, onto private medical aid after he was diagnosed with multiple severe conditions.

Source: Briefly News