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Less than a year after suffering life-threatening burns in a hiking accident, Herndon High School senior James Culatta took the stage as the dancing lead in the school’s spring 2025 production of Footloose.

His recovery began after the ground collapsed beneath him during a family hiking trip in Utah, sending him into a pit of scalding mud estimated at roughly 200 degrees. As James struggled to escape, more earth crumbled under his hands. By the time he pulled himself free, the skin was gone from his hands and he had entered shock.

A medical helicopter flew him to a hospital, where doctors treated third-degree burns covering more than half his body. His life-threatening injuries required intubation and several skin-graft surgeries, followed by months in a burn intensive care unit at a University of Utah hospital.

Extended bed rest left James without the strength to stand or walk. His muscles initially failed to respond, and simply getting upright made him nauseated. Unable to sleep because of the pain, he spent nights practicing with a walker. A few steps gradually became laps around the burn unit.

For James, walking was only the beginning. Dancing was his favorite activity, and he was determined to regain enough strength to run and perform. Although his physical therapist warned that running would be difficult, James eventually progressed to a light jog on a treadmill and resumed doing pushups and pullups.

A role that once seemed impossible

James had appeared in Herndon High’s production of Fiddler on the Roof the previous year as the rabbi’s son. While he was still dealing with the immediate medical fallout from the accident, he learned that the school had chosen Footloose for its spring musical.

He loved the film, particularly Kevin Bacon’s character Ren and the show’s extensive dancing. At the time, however, James did not know whether he would walk again, much less perform choreography before an audience.

After missing the opening months of his senior year, he returned to school midway through the year as auditions approached. The tryout required a monologue, a song and a group dance. James pursued the role of Ren by singing the character’s major solo, “I Can’t Stand Still.”

“I really didn’t think I’d be able to do it, but I knew I had to try,” he said.

When the cast list appeared on Instagram, James was too nervous to look and asked his mother to read it. Her screams gave him the answer: he had won the lead.

Theater director Scott Pafumi remembered James initially attending school for half days while continuing treatment. His movement was still limited, but his upbeat personality had returned.

By audition time, Pafumi said, James performed so strongly that the casting panel unanimously recognized him as the show’s lead. Callbacks confirmed that he could manage the production’s demanding choreography, ensuring his accident had no bearing on the decision.

“He was amazing, there was no doubt — it was unanimous,” Pafumi said, praising both James’ talent and his ability to work with the rest of the cast.

Few changes for the stage

The production made only two accommodations for James, neither related to his movement.

He wore black workout pants rather than the shorts used by other cast members to cover the damage to his legs. Pafumi said the different costume also suited Ren’s identity as a rebel and outsider.

James, a devout member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, also asked that his character’s curse words be replaced. The dialogue was adjusted to use expressions such as “Aw, man.”

His family credited Herndon High’s theater staff with believing in him. They also praised teachers and administrators for combining online classes with a flexible schedule around surgeries and physical therapy, allowing him to remain on course to graduate.

James’ father, Richard Culatta, said watching his son dance brought back memories of holding his hand through excruciating hospital procedures. Although James remains scarred and faces additional surgeries, his father described the recovery as evidence of the strength provided by family, faith, friendship, community, prayer and love.

James is set to graduate from Herndon High with an advanced diploma. During the summer, he plans to work at a camp for children who have suffered burns, using his experience to support them through their own recoveries.

In the fall, he will attend Utah Valley University and plans to continue pursuing theater, music and dance.