European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - January 30, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Chuck Greenlund is coaching again a year after the explosion that nearly burned him to death. A heroic comeback for a by Paige St. John associated press Huck Greenlund was enjoying a winning season last year As basketball coach at West Iron county High school in Iron River mich., when one Day he reached to turn off the Light in the boys weight room. Then poof recalls the 51-year-old coach closing his eyes and raising his disfigured arms heavenward. A spark from the switch exploded natural Gas that had seeped into the old school s locker room from a Leaky pipe. Eighteen students were injured. Greenlund in the Center of the fireball was engulfed in flames. All of a sudden i was on fire he recalls. The next thing i remember i was being rolled in the  doctors did t expect him to live. But Greenlund staged a comeback and is now Back on the sidelines at West Iron basketball games while lawyers fight Over who is to pay his $1 million in Hospital Bills. Greenlund suffered second and third degree Burns Over 50 percent of his body in the explosion on Jan. 13, 1987. Day after Day at St. Mary s Hospital in Milwaukee his condition worsened. His lungs failed. Grafts broke open. Doctors paralysed Greenlund so he could heal and bandaged his body in skin from cadavers. White bracelets of scars Mark his wrists where the straps held the coach Down. His wife Judy at one Point counted 19 bottles hanging from the ceiling feeding vital fluids into a husband she did t recognize. He was like a human Experiment she recalls. In february doctors told Judy Greenlund her husband would die. The residents of Michigan s upper Peninsula a close knit Region of Small towns held Benefit dinners and sent cards 2,700 of them and checks. Iron River prayed for its coach. When it seemed the coach would lose he rallied for the big comeback. It was the Guy upstairs Greenlund says. That and Chuck s will to live Judy adds. Greenlund returned Home on memorial Day scooting along in a Walker with shrivelled Muscles and legs. These Days Greenlund Steps about unaided moving normally. But the coach can t sink a free throw and does t have the stamina to return to his physical education classes. That s Tough for an All state High school football player who now rests half the Day in an easy chair watching soap operas. Even so when basketball season opened Greenlund was Back. His Friday night sideline screaming proves he May have lost his strength but never his voice. At a recent game at the Iron River armory the a Okons of West Iron county were losing badly before a Hometown crowd. Hustle Hustle Greenlund shouts from the Bench. Defense defense he delicately peels wire rimmed glasses off his face with a shiny Pink hand. Greenlund s new skin is thin and fragile and always will be he said. Defeat showed on the faces of the Wyton players. Again and again frustrated and exhausted they came Back to Greenlund for timeout Pep talks that always ended with the coach s scarred hands at the Center of a team cheer. The a Okons lost 58-36, to Kingsford s of livers named after an Early Henry Ford car but the kids never stopped looking to Greenlund. They believe in him says eighth Grade English teacher Joe Kuklenski watching from the stands. Kuklenski coaches the a Okons in football and Greenlund helps him. Greenlund says his basketball coaching record is "90 something to 30  he took the a Okons to the state finals in 1987, and did the same As football coach in 1977. He has been named regional coach of the year twice each in both sports. Greenlund dismisses the honors. Hoof he huffs in the finnish accent common on the upper Peninsula. I went through some Good kids. You Don t go anywhere without the  Greenlund s love for coaching has t changed but other things have his wife says. I be noticed a change in personality she says. He was always a very very quiet Man. Now he s different. He s More talkative. He takes life one Day at a time. I told the kids when he came Home there was a change in looks and a change in  Greenlund s teaching buddies this fall built him a Deer Blind from lumber donated by local businesses so he could Hunt out of the cold. Greenlund does t talk much about the explosion. Lawsuits Are pending to determine who is responsible to pay the $1 million in Hospital Bills. Somebody goofed Greenlund says. I Don t dwell on it. I want no part of  monday january 30, 1989 the stars and stripes Page 17