Hero Gresham firefighter Spencer Tejedas leaves the hospital after 14 weeks and multiple surgeries

Spencer Tejedas, the Gresham firefighter who risked his life to help during a housefire and suffered burns on nearly half his body, is set to be released from the hospital today after multiple surgeries and months of recovering.

The Gresham Fire Department says Tejedas will finally be sent home from the Oregon Burn Center at Legacy Emanuel Medical Center on Tuesday, September 10 at 2 p.m., after more than 14 weeks of treatment.

Spencer Tejedas was among a team of firefighters responding to a blaze at a Gresham duplex on May 30 when he was caught in a flame flashover – where everything in the structure catches on fire all at one time.

The GFD says firefighters entered the building when a woman at the home believed her son was inside. The child was later found to be not inside, although firefighters didn’t know that at the time and went into the blaze intending to rescue the boy.

The fire was later confirmed to have been started by an unattended candle.

Tejedas suffered burns on more than 45% of his body – injuries that the fire chief described as the worst he’d seen in a 41-year-long career.

The severity of his injuries led to Tejedas being sedated on life support for weeks. He underwent seven surgeries over several months, and by the end of July his wife Melea said he was awake, alert, and improving.

After 8.5 weeks of hospitalization, Tejedas was finally able to FaceTime his and Melea’s sons (1 and 4) for the first time.

"Even at his worst, Spencer greets his care team every day with smiles, gratitude, and patience, which simply speaks to the kind of person he is. His doctors frequently comment that Spencer’s drive and motivation will make all the difference in his recovery. Knowing how strong he is both mentally and physically, we have no doubt that he will beat all the odds and surpass any goals set for him," Melea said during his recovery.

On August 2 a blood drive was held in Spencer’s honor.

“We are grateful for the outpouring of support shown by our community during this difficult time,” said Gresham Fire Chief Scott Lewis in a press release. “The progress Spencer has made is truly remarkable and we are thrilled for him to make this monumental step forward.”

The Gresham Fire Department says that Spencer will be moving to a rehabilitation facility for the next two to three weeks, before returning home to Melea and their boys.

https://katu.com/news/local/hero-gresham-firefighter-burned-on-45-of-body-will-finally-be-released-from-hospital
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Author: KATU News
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News post in at: September 11, 2024, 3:02 am.

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