‘This horrific crime has broken our family’

Distraught relatives of a young woman set on fire in her Rivervale home say the horrific attack on the vivacious and generous woman has broken their family.

Dana Vulin’s parents and siblings yesterday kept a vigil at Royal Perth Hospital where the 25-year-old is fighting for her life with burns to up to 60 per cent of her body.

Ms Vulin’s sister Svetlana Velickovski told friends Ms Vulin was on life support and would be unconscious for days.

“Thanks for all your support,” she wrote on her Facebook page in reply to her dozens of wellwishers.

“This is the worst thing in the world to have happened to my amazing shining sister, she won’t be conscious for days and is on life support, I hope she pulls through with the help of all your prayers”.

Ms Vulin suffered severe burns to her head, face and upper torso after she was set alight in her riverside apartment early on Thursday morning in what police called a malicious and premeditated arson attack.

A neighbour found Ms Vulin distressed and smouldering in the doorway of her unit shortly after 6am.

The man quickly put the young woman in her shower and asked another resident to call an ambulance – a move that may have saved her life.

Burns specialist Suzanne Rea said the first few days of treatment were critical and patients generally faced major surgery within days of the incident that could involve skin grafting, skin replacement, the use of artificial skin or a combination of all three.

Professor Rea said patients then faced years of rehabilitation that could include physiotherapy and psychological support.

Ms Vulin’s family yesterday made an emotional plea for information to help police catch the attacker.

“(We) urge the public to please contact Crime Stoppers if they know anything about this horrific crime that has broken our family,” they said.

In a heartfelt statement released through the hospital, Ms Vulin’s parents Vera and Don, her siblings and their partners described her as someone who had dedicated her life to helping others and her family.

“Dana is a beautiful, kind woman who has the biggest heart you can ever imagine,” they wrote.

“She always puts others in front of herself and has lived her life so far to the fullest with her vivacious personality.”

The university graduate, who is understood to have worked in marketing, supports two World Vision children and donates regularly to Princess Margaret Hospital.

She has a twin brother and two older sisters.

Ms Vulin’s family said they appreciated the hundreds of prayers they had received as they tried to comprehend the shocking crime.

In the hours after the attack, Mrs Velickovski wrote on her Facebook page: “I just can’t breathe – why?”

One of Ms Vulin’s distressed relatives yesterday described the attacker as a “crazed person” who should not be in society.

Police yesterday returned to Ms Vulin’s unit in their search for evidence to catch the attacker, who may have doused her with a flammable liquid and set her alight.

It is understood they have strong leads but have not made any arrests.

Police believe she would have known her attacker and are investigating whether he broke into her ground-floor unit after climbing over her balcony wall.

The attacker had left before she managed to open her door to scream for help.

Friends have set up a foundation to help pay for the 25-year-old’s medical and legal costs, requesting donations be made to any Westpac branch to the Foundation of Dana Vulin.

They also turned to Facebook to offer Ms Vulin and her family their support, describing her as a “fighter” and saying they were “shocked to the core” and sickened by the attack.

Relative Jey Vulin wrote: “Be strong as you always were . . . I love you beyond words”. Rebecca Stella wrote: “If anyone can make it, it has always been you.”

Her brother Denis’ message was simple: “I love you so so so much. Please oh God pull through for us.”

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