There were the doctors, looking reserved and anxious about their soon-to-be-former patient, and the wife, relieved and happy.
There was 4-year-old Genine Gray, nibbling her fingers and hiding behind her mother's leg as the cameras clicked.
And as Lt. Jerrold Ware was wheeled out of University Hospital Friday, there were the firefighters, about 80 strong, whooping and cheering and clapping wildly.
Lt. Ware could do nothing else but smile.
''This is all a little overwhelming,'' he had said, before navigating the back pats and handshakes that greeted him.
The Cincinnati firefighter was allowed to go home Friday - 27 days after he fell from the fourth floor of a burning North Fairmount apartment after trying to save little Genine. Three other firefighters also were injured. Genine was rescued and unharmed.
Lt. Ware will have months of recovery.
Irritated breathing airways still make for frequent coughs, a necessary discomfort doctors say, which will help bring up the soot that lingers in his lungs. His left arm remains in a sling, a broken elbow and blistered hand healing.
And the incident left him with an increased risk of restrictive lung disease, said Dr. Richard Kagan, director of University Hospital's Burn Special Care Unit.
But he's thankful.
''I want to give thanks to God, of course, who has even got me to this point, spared my life actually,'' the 31-year-old father of three said, his wife Monique at his side. ''And I want to thank the community - I got letters and cards, prayers and support from people I didn't even know.''
That thanks was returned Friday, as Latashe Gray beamed at her daughter's rescuers.
''Words is not enough to say the gratitude, thanks and love I feel. This is my family now,'' she said, gesturing to Lt. Ware and the firefighters. ''I love them all. Looking at her, I see them.''
The scene was a welcome one to firefighters, who said Lt. Ware's experience dredged up a fear all firefighters try to bury.
''Most days in the firehouse are pretty mundane but you never know when something like this is going to happen,'' Lt. Bob Johnson said.
Agreed firefighter Willie Minor: ''These guys can be no more than three feet in front of you and the floors collapse on them, the ceilings fall in on them. You think that could have been me, that should have been me.''
As Lt. Ware left in a fire car, a trail of firetrucks and emergency cars escorting him, his supporters lingered, laughing, joking and talking. Thankful, one said, for a day of good news.
Previous stories
EVERYDAY HERO HEADS HOME Cliff Radel column, Sept. 26, 1997
TRUE HEROISM COMES OFF THE FIELD Paul Daugherty column, Sept. 21, 1997
FIREMAN'S HEROISM IN CHARACTER Cliff Radel column, Sept. 5, 1997
OWNERS FACE CHARGES IN FIRE Sept. 3, 1997
RESCUED GIRL, MOM PRAY FOR FIREFIGHTER Sept. 2, 1997
BURNED RESCUER ASKS FATE OF LITTLE GIRL Sept. 1, 1997
FELLOW FIREFIGHTER KNOWS WARE'S PAIN Sept. 1, 1997
SIXTH SENSE WARNED OF DANGER Sept. 1, 1997
FOUR FIREFIGHTERS HURT IN RESCUE Aug. 31, 1997
HOW IT HAPPENED (96K GIF) Aug. 31, 1997
