Teenager from Dubrovnik Finally Released Home After Tough Battle
A fifteen-year-old from Dubrovnik, who suffered burns to 80 percent of his body in April, is finally home after months of treatment at Zagreb's Klaićeva Hospital.
A fifteen-year-old from Dubrovnik, who suffered burns to 80 percent of his body in April, is finally home after months of treatment at Zagreb's Klaićeva Hospital.
Fifteen-year-old Roko from Dubrovnik, who was severely injured in April this year by an electric shock of 35,000 volts at a substation in Osojnik, has finally arrived home. The news was shared on social media by Denis Pavela and picked up by numerous local portals.
On April 25, 2026, Roko suffered an extremely high-voltage electric shock, resulting in burns to as much as 80 percent of his body. After emergency care at Dubrovnik's KBC and in Split, he was airlifted by helicopter to the Children's Hospital in Klaićeva in Zagreb, where he spent several months in intensive treatment.
The medical team, led by Dr. Zoran Barčot, saved his life through a series of complex procedures: artificial and cadaveric skin were grafted, while his own skin was being cultivated in the tissue bank for transplantation. Some surgical procedures lasted five to six hours, and each dressing change was treated as an operation.
In mid-July, doctors announced that only five to six percent of his body remained uncovered and that Roko was recovering remarkably well. "He is truly a miracle, in a positive sense. This is the result of extensive teamwork, but also his motivation and the support of his parents," Dr. Barčot told JUGInfo at the time.
During rehabilitation, Roko showed exceptional motivation for physical therapy, and he most looked forward to reuniting with friends and attending Hajduk matches. In July, the club sent him a message of support: "We are proud of you. You are brave and strong. We are waiting for you at Poljud!"
At the end of July, doctors predicted that Roko could be discharged home without bandages by the start of the school year, which came true. Denis Pavela wrote alongside a photo: "Brave Roko, little great fighter, we are proud of you! May Saint Rocco, whose feast day we celebrate today, protect you, grant you strength, health, and many more beautiful days with your family."
