Article: Don't cry for me: badly scarred by fire at a young age, Airman 1st Class Brandon Lee gets instant credibilty from other survivors at Camp Oo-U-La.(United States Air Force)

Brandon Lee used to stand in front of a mirror, cover up the side of his face that was scarred the worst and try to imagine what he'd look like if he'd never been burned.

"I'd mentally fuse together the side of my face that had the least scarring to get an idea of what I'd look like [without the injury]," he said. "I had some self-esteem issues."

These were natural reactions for a young child trying to fit in with his peers. But there was no blending in for Brandon. He suffered disfiguring scars in a gasoline fire at age 4. People would stare--or try too hard to avert their eyes. And, yes, it could turn cruel ... like the time two boys at school said he ...

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