CLINTON, Iowa- The Clinton Fire Department firefighter who was injured in an explosion at an ADM plant is returning to work soon.
Tuesday, May 7, the Clinton Fire Department announced on Facebook that Adam is cleared for duty yet again.
At Central Station in Clinton, this firefighting family is spending the day together. If you didn't know any better, it sounds like a regular day.
"It was all smiles and jokes just like I got off shift the other day, just like its back to normal," says Adam Cain.
But this day, this reunion is four months in the making. 23-year-old Adam Cain is back.
Adam was fighting a fire at the ADM plant in Clinton back on January 5, 2019 when there was an explosion, knocking Adam and the firefighter next to him, Lieutenant Eric Hosette 88 feet down a corn silo. Left with pierced organs and broken bones, Adam survived. Hosette fell too but never made it out.
On his first day back at the fire station, Adam's fellow firefighters say he was a symbol for them during the healing process.
"It gave people somewhere they could put their hope in. I can say confidently it would have been a substantially different outcome if both of them had passed," says Clinton Firefighter Ryan Ries.
After a number of surgeries and countless physical therapy appointments, Adam's back to work for light duty.
"It's paperwork, it's answering phones, it's not being a firefighter. But it's getting back into the swing of things and hanging out," says Adam.
He's hanging out here, and he's surrounded by the familiar things that make this station home like his locker and equipment. He's also surrounded by the things he credits for saving his life. Tied in a garbage bag, stuffed in a locker, Adam pulls out the helmet he was wearing the day of the fire. The helmet smells of smoke and it's brim is cracked, but Adam says it saved his life.
"It's beat up, but it did its job, I guess," says Adam.
But most importantly, here at the station, Adam is surrounded by the memory of a person who's reunion here at the station will never come, his fallen brother, his motivation to keep moving forward, Lieutenant Eric Hosette.
"I know if he was in my situation he'd want to be back as soon as possible because this is our family. It's our lifestyle. There's nothing else we'd rather do . It's what we’re meant to do," says Adam.
Adam will work light duty Monday thru Friday until he gets stronger and builds up his endurance. He will continue to go to physical therapy three times a week.
