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Boston Bombing Survivor Receives Warm Homecoming In El Segundo


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EL SEGUNDO (CBSLA.com) — A South Bay man badly injured in the Boston Marathon bombings was finally able to return home Friday afternoon.

Doctors had told John Odom that he may never be able to walk again. After five months of intensive rehabilitation, the Torrance resident walked off a plane at LAX with his wife, Karen, by his side.

He was greeted by his family and close friends and then taken to a party held in his honor at Beach Mex restaurant in El Segundo.

Odom was critically injured in the April 15 bombing and was on life support for 10 days.

"After we get home tonight and be able to put that key in that front door...get inside that house for the first time...I'm  real excited," Odom said. "I've just thought about it and thought about it and thought about walking through that door."

"Especially not knowing if he would ever walk again, and the fact that he's walking in the door, that's huge for us," Odom's wife said.

Sunday marks the couple's 46th wedding anniversary.

Odom had planned to to retire from his position as chairman of a prominent mechanical contracting company once he got back, but said Friday he needed to wrap up a few things first.

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