KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The fire that killed two firefighters on October 12, 2015 also left living victims. Christopher Anderson was crushed by bricks that night on Independence Avenue, and although he’s alive, he’s not living the way he used to.
“I started calling emergency rooms, what else can you do? I was terrified,” said Heather Anderson.
Life changed for the Anderson family that October night. Christopher Anderson was fighting this fire on Independence Avenue, when his wife says he was crushed.
“You could actually see the definition of the edges of the bricks where they had pushed in so hard,” said Heather Anderson.
That fire also killed Larry Leggio and John Mesh, Anderson’s friends and co-workers.
“As I was coming into the hall in the ER, you could smell the structure fire smell. You could pretty much follow your nose to his room,” said Heather.
Heather’s husband was alive, but the Andersons didn’t know life would take on a new meaning. Chris had a traumatic brain injury, a broken rib, knee injuries and injuries that can only be described as serious trauma.
“There are days when he wakes up and he just vomits all day. He’s in pain all the time,” said Heather.
Those days happen several times a week, debilitating. Several days a week, all day long, Chris goes from doctor to doctor, trying to heal or find answers for his ailments.
“A confusing roller coaster. Definitely some survivor’s guilt, definitely glad to still be with my family,” said Christopher.
“Everything has changed. Our whole family has changed,” said Heather.
His injuries won’t allow him to work his part-time job in home repair, but even worse, Chris can’t be a firefighter any more.
“We want to do for others. He loved his job. He loves his job,” said Heather.
It’s been one of the biggest blows for the man who’s used to being the fixer, the doer, the helper.
“He’s kind of in a point where he wants so much to be who he was and to help and to be part of that world again, and it’s changed him, and now he’s struggling to do things that were every day,” Heather explained.
Christopher says he knows he has to move on, to find another way to support his family, but in his heart, he’s a firefighter, and a part of him died that October night.
“He just said, I love you, I love my family, I’m glad I’m here. But if I could trade places with John and Larry, he said I would, in a heartbeat, I would take it. I would say goodbye, and I’d be done,” Heather remembered.
And he’s thankful that through his family’s darkest time, the helper is getting a lot of help, even if at first it’s hard to accept.
“We spend our whole lives giving and doing what’s asked. It doesn’t happen the other way around. It’s overwhelming. Thank you isn’t enough,” said Christopher.
Christopher and Heather say they’re working toward figuring out a new path in their lives. It’ll be a rough journey. They say they’re thankful for so much support from friends, family, firefighters, and complete strangers.
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