RAPIDS CITY, Ill. — It was a welcome home like no other for one volunteer firefighter.
Mary Beth Eggers was discharged from Genesis on Wednesday after a week there and another two weeks at University of Iowa Hospitals. The Genesis EMT and Rapids City firefighter was injured in the line of duty on July 15. Early that morning, she was responding to a fire in Hillsdale when she was pinned underneath a tree. Eggers broke six ribs, punctured a lung and basically shattered her hip to her pelvic girdle.
RELATED: Rapids City firefighter injured in line of duty to return home, 'graduate' physical therapy
"Seems unreal," she said. "There really were times in the hospital I didn't know if I would make it, but here I am."
As Eggers, her husband and sister were leaving Genesis, her co-workers, friends and community members were busy lining Route 84 through Rapids City. Firefighters from around the Quad Cities area showed up, including Rapids City, Port Byron, Cordova, Erie, Hampton, Hillsdale and Geneseo. Some of her Genesis co-workers were there too.
Everyone was cheering with welcome home signs reading "local legend," "we love you M.B.," "hometown hero" and "stay strong Mary Beth."
It was emotional for Eggers, who was crying happy tears and kept repeating "oh my god" over and over again.
"I think 50 (people) from my fire department, 30 (people)," she said. "Oh my gosh, unreal. You know for a small community, it's unbelievable. So blessed to be a part of it, so blessed. I don't know what God has in store for me but I will find out and I'll work hard."
Eggers became a first responder two years ago when she stopped at a Rapids City Fire open house for some water. Last year, she joined Genesis Ambulance. She still has a ways to go in her road to recovery but looks forward to one day returning to her work as a first responder.
News 8 was with Eggers during her last day of physical therapy at Genesis. You can watch that story below.