THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, September 19, 1995 TAG: 9509190083
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B7 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: HOPEWELL LENGTH: Short : 37 lines
The burning of little Tony Dillhoff by two neighborhood boys a year ago today drew the sympathy and anger of this southern Virginia city and the nation.
Tony's mother says the 4-year-old shows little physical evidence of the burns today. But she says the ordeal caused his stammering speech to get worse and has made him a daredevil.
``Tony has no fear,'' said Kimberly Dillhoff. ``He's not afraid of anything. Now when he falls down, he doesn't cry or anything. It's like he's adapted to the pain. He used to come running into the house for me to kiss it and make it better. I miss those days.''
Two older boys were found ``not innocent'' - the juvenile court version of guilty - and were sentenced to probation for pouring gasoline on and around Tony and igniting him last Sept. 19.
The boys, who are brothers, were 9 and 11 at the time. The older one spent about three months at a detention center while awaiting trial.
Tony was burned over 85 percent of his body. While he was terrified of fire just after he was burned, today he has no fear of fire, his mother said.
She said he doesn't play much with other children. Tony has an older sister and four older brothers.
``The fire has brought us closer together,'' the mother said. ``I feel more protective of my children. We're more careful and we don't let Tony out of our sight.'' by CNB