Anchorage firefighter Ben Schultz, who was gravely injured during a training accident last year, is coming home.
Last June, Schultz fell nearly 100 feet down the middle of a ladder. He said his boots were found stuck at the top of the ladder after the fall, which he doesn't remember.
Schultz has been recovering from broken bones, internal problems and a traumatic brain injury. He first received acute care for his injuries at Craig Hospital in Denver and was then sent to Quality Living Inc., a post-rehabilitation facility in Omaha, Nebraska, which specializes in spinal cord and traumatic brain injuries.
Schultz says he will be discharged from that facility next Thursday. He says plane tickets haven't been purchased yet, but expects to return to Anchorage right after being discharged.
"I'm ecstatic to see my kids and my friends and my family back home. And just show them how much progress I've made in just under a year," he said on the phone from QLI Wednesday afternoon.