WASHINGTON-- After multiple surgeries and six weeks in the hospital, a D.C. firefighter is back home to spend Christmas with his family.
Sgt. Michael LaCore, 37, suffered second and third degree burns on more than half of his body while battling a blaze on the 600 block of 4th St. NE. The Oct. 29th blaze injured four firefighters but LaCore was the most severely injured. He was rushed to Washington Hospital Center's Burn Unit in critical condition.
On Wednesday, he surprised his wife with a grand homecoming. Members of his former company - Engine 6 - came to greet him at the hospital. Although LaCore was working for Engine 4 when he was injured, most of his years with the District's Fire Department were spent driving the main engine for Company 6 before he was promoted to sergeant.
"One of his requests was to have his old engine company, engine 6 to come," said Lt. Van Zago Reynold. "They came, he requested could he drive? They let him drive and he never forgot his turns, he negotiated those turns well."
Fire Chief Dennis Rubin joined dozens of other firefighters to greet LaCore at his house.
"This is a major event for the fire department," he said. "We're so thankful and appreciative that he's here, back with his family where he belongs. Many of his co-workers are here to share in the celebration of this tremendous homecoming. We hope for continued success in his recovery to get through the next couple of weeks and months and eventually get back to work."
The firefighter's wife and children were thrilled with the early Christmas present. Naomi LaCore calls all of her husband's co-workers her extended family members.
"They have been giving us so much support, it's just amazing. Whatever we need, they were there for us and it means a lot," she said. "I know everything we've been through has just been a blessing."
Many of the firefighters greeting LaCore were inside the 4th street houses fighting the raging fire when he was injured. They remember hearing that awful radio call, "mayday."
"We knew the extent of how bad things were from the get go," said Jay Hyde, one of the three firefighters who helped carry him to the ambulance. "It's real hard. It took me a while before I could go see him because I knew he was burnt pretty bad."
Hyde now drives Engine 6, following in the footsteps of LaCore. He happily offered his seat to his predecessor on Wednesday night, calling it great honor.
"It means a lot to me," he said. "Michael has made remarkable progress from what we've seen and he's doing really good."
LaCore gave a brief announcement while standing in his front yard.
"Thanks to everybody who prayed for me," he said. "The prayers didn't go to waste. I'm still here. Hopefully I'll make it back, make it back to full duty."
Republished with permission of WUSA-TV.
