Susan MacTavish Best suffered burns all over her upper torso eight years ago in an unfortunate fireplace accident. The incident happened in January 2009, when Susan hosted a Robert Burns-themed dinner party and invited friends over to her apartment in San Francisco, California.
According to People, the party was littered with customized cocktails and personal poetry reading in front of her fireplace. Guests left her place around 10:30 pm except for one person who were helping the host clean up. When Susan bent over to fix her fireplace, it suddenly exploded right in her place, burning her face and parts of her torso.
Susan, who’s 43 years old, told People, “I couldn’t understand what was happening. I felt like there was cotton candy all around my face. I couldn’t figure out what it was, but it was flames. I felt like my soul had burned.”
Susan was pestered with second and third degree burns on 20 percent of her body, according to People. Susan’s face, arms, legs, and feet are burned by the fire. The only reason her eyes remained undamaged was because she happened to be wearing one of her friends’ glasses that night.
Susan had to spend the next nine months recovering physically as well as psychologically with the help of her supportive friends. Susan, who used to be a huge figure on the Silicon Valley tech scene, turned this tragedy into a business opportunity.
In 2011, Susan founded Living MacTavish, a lifestyle brand that she would use to host intimate dinner parties at her home for businesses and entrepreneurs. She has since hosted more than 100 parties.
Susan said, “I love introducing interesting folks. I want to change the world by bringing people together. I know the connections that will be made and why people should know each other. There’s a sense of purpose to come over, have a couple of drinks, but actually hear a conversation from someone. It’s content and education in an intimate setting.”
Susan had to be treated at a burn center and was unable to move for about six weeks. She was required to bathe herself in an acid-like substance to clean her wounds.
Susan said, “I didn’t talk to my friends about the burns. It was just them being there for me, I cooked a lot and had them over for dinner and between hospital visits I had people at my home almost every night. I didn’t want to be alone, I just needed people around me. They saved my life, really.”
