The Jefferson Parish fireman who almost lost his life battling a condo fire in Metairie two months ago visited his fellow firefighters in his unit for the first time Monday.
For many days, it was unclear if fireman Danny Zeigler was going to make it past his injuries.
He fell through the roof of the third floor of a burning Old Metairie condominium building in February.
He still has a way to go to heal, but on Monday evening he wanted to visit his fellow firefighters at his fire station on Causeway Boulevard.
Zeigler is not the only fireman in his family, and there were days when the the brotherhood of firefighters in Jefferson Parish thought the visit would never happen.
At the station on Monday, Zeigler thanked everyone who made his recovery possible.
"It feels wonderful. I didn't except it. When I came out of my coma, the first thing I said to my brother was that I have a lot of bills to take care of. Everyone's been so great, the burn unit's been awesome, all the fireman, the parish president, they all really stepped up," Zeigler said.
Dave Tibbetts, Jefferson Parish Fire Chief, said it was the support of the community that saved Zeigler.
"We're looking forward to the day when he's in uniform and he's got his gear on and we'll put him back to work," Tibbetts said.
Meanwhile, those who are still a year-and-a-half away from getting back into their condos were just as concerned for Zeigler.
It was Sue Jumonville's condo that was ground zero for the fire that destroyed the homes of so many at DeLimon Place. But with all the loss, there was one thing on Jumonville's mind: Zeigler, who was injured when he fell through the roof.
"He was in ICU I think for over a month and really touch and go. Didn't expect him to make it and he made it," said Jumonville.
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She went to visit him at the UMC Burn Center.
"I said, 'I hear you dropped into my apartment a few weeks ago.' And he said, 'I'm sorry I didn't call first,'" Jumonville recalled.
"But then he said, and this was really very difficult for me, he said, 'I'm so sorry I couldn't save your home. The fire got away from us.' And I said... your life means so much more to me than my things," Jumoville said.
That's why when the Junior League of New Orleans book club gave her a donation for losing everything, she turned around and gave it to Zeigler's recovery fund.
"I'm almost 76-years-old, I don't have as long to go as he does, so he's very important to me," she said.
The DeLimon Place property manager, Dottie Thieneman, said not only did the condominium association donate to help Zeigler, but just about all of the people who live there did, too.
"We were very, very moved by what happened to Danny because when he came out of that building, he came out on fire," Thieneman said.
"If you could see these firefighters do their job, it's like watching a ballet, they are amazing and they support each other," Thieneman said.
"I love him and what he does and what the firemen do for us everyday," Jumonville said.
Jumonville said she believes there was divine intervention that Saturday night of the fire. She was at mass, where the priest gave a reminder to turn off all cell phones. She said she did but later, her phone still rang.
It was son, who is blind and has other disabilities, calling from her home when the smoke detector went off. She was able to get home and get him out in time.