Camden fire captain back home after serious injury

BELLMAWR, N.J. (WPVI) -- A Camden, New Jersey fire captain returned home on Monday after suffering a serious injury.

Capt. Bobby Eckert was recovering from a head injury he suffered two weeks ago at the scene of a fire.

"I had a concussion, traumatic head injury. And it knocked me out, and I had lost some vision there for a while. I couldn't see for a few hours," he said.

He has to wear the sunglasses pretty much at all times while he recovers. But it's a recovery process he says was made possible by the care he's received.

"Cooper hospital staff was unbelievable and I was transferred to Magee rehabilitation," Eckert said. "I never went a day without seeing a brother or sister from the firehouse. It was unbelievable, it's just been overwhelming with the support."

The welcome party at his home in Bellmawr, New Jersey was a surprise. It included Camden Mayor Frank Moran

"Many occasions we're at a funeral home and that's not what we wanted, and we're fortunate that's not the case, and so we're going to make sure that he gets well and gets back to work because we really need him," Moran said.

Several of his close fellow firefighters didn't hesitate to give out one of those welcome hugs.

Of course his wife Brynlee and stepdaughter Kennedy were also there.

"It was scary, boys miss him, Ken and I miss him and we're just glad to have him back," Brynlee said.

As far a going back to work: he says he would if he was allowed today.

But the doctors say he still has a little way to go.