Buffalo, NY, - - It is homecoming day for injured firefighter Mark Reed. He is being released from the hospital Wednesday. News 4's George Richert has more.
After being in a coma, losing his leg, and undergoing reconstructive surgery to his face, firefighter Mark Reed is leaving ECMC after 52 days.
It was June 10th, when a fire on Wende Street sent a chimney toppling off a roof on top of Mark Reed who was in the driveway. He was near death, and all his fellow firefighters could do was wait, hope and pray.
Lt. Joseph Victor (Ladder 14) said, "We just go out and do our job, and hopefully come back. Unfortunately, this time it didn't work out that way."
Doctors placed him in a drug induced coma, and nine days later a serious infection forced them to amputate his leg.
But a couple weeks later, things started looking up. He started coming out of the coma, and was answering questions by blinking his eyes.
Buffalo firefighter Joe Rankin said, "It's chilling, just chilling. I was able to go in, and he opened his eyes, and it was just a relief you know, I got a little hot, it was really chilling." (June 29, 2007)
Now, 52 days later he's strong enough to go home, and at a 12:30 news conference he and his family are expected to make a statement thanking the community for support..
Rankin said, "We can't say how proud we are of the people of the city just stopping at a red light and saying a prayer and waving. It's been so touching. Hopefully, Mark'll be waving back pretty soon for all of us."
Mark Reed, his family, and fellow firefighters will have a news conference in front of ECMC at 12:30.
Watch News 4 at 5 and 6, for full reports about his release from the hospital.
The owner of the house on Wende Street has been to court twice since the fire, but the person who actually set the fire is still on the loose.
