Affliction / Illness: Burns covering 65% of his body
Rudy Reyes suffered third-degree burns on 65% of his body when he was trapped by the Cedar wildfire that savaged San Diego County in 2003. After 129 days in the hospital, 18 operations, and 130 therapy sessions, Rudy returned home. He now suffers from intense pain, sleeplessness, and muscle contractions -- all symptoms for which marijuana provides some relief. He relies on a marijuana-based topical cream, which alleviates his pain and prevents his skin from drying and cracking into open sores. Rudy has been an outspoken advocate for medical marijuana, opposing the San Diego County Board of Supervisors' decision to challenge the legality of California's popular medical marijuana law.
