Volunteer firefighter headed home after July explosion

TUSKAHOMA, Okla. (KFOR) — A volunteer firefighter is back home tonight after fighting for his life in the hospital.

Brad Lewallen was badly burned in a fireworks malfunction over the July 4th holiday weekend in Tuskahoma.

In all, five people were hurt, one of them later died in the explosion.

For Lewallen, it has been an uphill battle ever since.

"It's kind of hard to decipher what was real and what was a dream," Lewallen said. "I do remember a spark, and I do remember the explosion. I remember waiting for the helicopters, talking to the paramedics."

A flash of light, then nothing, is how Lewallen describes what happened, saying it was all so quick.

"Then I wake up here," Lewallen said. "However, 20-some days later, and I was like, okay, it's July 3rd or 4th. I'm like, it's August something? And I was like, what?"

It was supposed to be a routine delivery of fireworks for the Choctaw Nation's annual "Boom in the Valley" event in Tuskahoma when things took a turn for the worse.

"There was an accident and all the fireworks blew up," Lewallen said.

When he woke up in an Oklahoma City hospital room a month later, Lewallen wasn't sure what had happened, but knew he was ready to fight.

"I knew the road, the tough road that was ahead of me, but I was ready to work," Lewallen said.

Shortly after, he started rehabilitation.

"I can't thank the people here enough, the people back home, my friends, my family, the fire departments, everybody that's supported me through this thing and if you guys ever watch this, I love you all and thank you," Lewallen said.

Police escorted him home on Friday, and there was only one thing on his mind.

"I can't wait to yell to my kids and hold them and see them," Lewallen said.

While Lewallen is out of the hospital and back home, his recovery journey is still just beginning.