He's Walking the Dogs Again

Tim Kleinhagen of Summit Hill, Pa., survived severe burns after a kennel fire

Returning to life - Tim and Lisa Kleinhagen of Summit Hill, Pa., are getting back to life as they knew it before Tim was seriously burned in a kennel fire. "Thinking about my family gave me the strength to survive," Tim says.

Tim Kleinhagen of Summit Hill, Pa., had a full propane truck as he began his afternoon deliveries on March 6, 2009. As he was filling the tank at the Pazzazz Pet Boarding in Franklin Township, Pa., something went terribly wrong. Suddenly a burst of fire rocketed toward the sky. Kleinhagen was engulfed in flames and trapped behind a chain-link fence.

Even as he tried to douse the flames and find a way out, Kleinhagan was yelling for people to get out of the house and away from the truck filled with 3,000 gallons of propane. He even managed to save a little terrier by tossing him over the fence. Three good Samaritans worked feverishly to tear down the fence and get Kleinhagen to safety. He was airlifted to Lehigh Valley Health Network's Regional Burn Center. Seventeen dogs died as a result of the fire, and Kleinhagen suffered severe burns over half his body.

"I thought I was going to die. Thinking about my wife and son gave me strength," Kleinhagen says. "I was aware of everything that was happening. They got me on the helicopter, and I couldn't breathe or talk. They told me to relax, but that was hard to do."

The next few months are a blur for Kleinhagen, who was in a coma in the Regional Burn Center for six weeks. He had five surgeries, then spent 10 days in rehabilitation before heading home. His road back has been long and hard, but he and his family are grateful for the care they received at the Regional Burn Center.

"It's amazing how well he recovered," says Tim's wife, Lisa. "When I first saw him I could barely recognize him. It was hard to believe he would make it. But the staff was so helpful and reassuring. We could see the healing taking place."

Tim is continuing with therapy to deal with the physical and emotional aftereffects of the fire. Missing so much time with his 5-year-old son, Zachary, has been hard, but they’re making up for it.

"Getting on the right medications helps. So does finally being able to put on a pair of blue jeans and go out into the woods with Zach and our dogs," Tim says. "We're still learning how to get through each day, and we're very grateful for all the prayers and support we've gotten along the way."

An avid outdoorsman and dog lover, Tim and his family are especially enjoying time with their three dogs, Shaggy, Happy and Duncan. The dogs must be glad to have him back too. Happy recently won the best tail-wagger award at a dog show.

This page last updated 1/12/11 04:29 PM