‘I smelt the fire’: Performer who caught fire at Northridge Christmas concert asked mom to go on without her

Performer who caught fire during Christmas concert says it was 'nobody's fault'

"I looked behind me and saw I was on fire," said Sandy Springstead. "I was screaming 'I'm on fire, I'm on fire.'"

PLYMOUTH, Mich. (FOX 2) - Sandy Springstead was in the middle of performing during a Christmas concert at Northridge Church earlier this month when she smelled fire and realized it was her.

"I smelt the fire. And I looked behind me and saw I was on fire. I was screaming, ‘I’m on fire, I’m on fire,’ and I got off the stage," she said. "I don’t remember what my mom did. I just remember screaming and stage crews tried to put me out. I remember they put me out with a fire extinguisher."

A candle accidentally lit Springstead's gown on fire at the Plymouth church, leading to second- and third-degree burns across the lower half of her body.

"Drop and roll is all I could scream at the time," her mother Gale Erlich said. "The only thing she could really say was she was really bummed she couldn’t finish the play."

The 44-year-old said it was her 31st year performing in the event. After she was burned and had to leave, she asked her mother, who was also performing, to go on without her.

"She told me, ‘Mom, don’t quit.’ I asked, ‘What do you mean?’ ‘Don’t quit the play. Finish for the both of us, and I want you to sing with everything you’ve got,’" Erlich said.

Erlich finished the play, while her daughter was rushed to a hospital. Springstead remains hospitalized as she recovers. She has had two skin graft surgeries and will need at least two more, along with physical therapy.

The family said their church community has been very supportive, and Springstead said she is just ready to get back to church.

A GoFundMe has been set up to help Springstead.