Article updated: 10/28/2012 12:27 PM

Lombard fire victim ‘just trying to get back to my old self’

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Jason Cassidy, wearing a compression suit to help his burned skin heal, survived a Lombard arson fire that killed a friend. He is recovering at the Schaumburg home of his dad, Bob Cassidy.

JOE LEWNARD | Staff Photographer

Jason Cassidy, recovering from severe burns sustained in an arson fire, says "you can either live your life as a burn victim forever or you can go back and live your life (as it was) before the incident even happened. Obviously, I chose the second choice."

JOE LEWNARD | Staff Photographer

Bob Cassidy is helping care for his son Jason as his home in Schaumburg.

JOE LEWNARD | Staff Photographer

Jason Cassidy

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The July 22 arson fire at 1028 S. Ahrens Ave. in Lombard killed Paula Morgan and left Jason Cassidy severely burned.

Daily Herald file photo

Jason Cassidy, pictured before he was severely injured in a July 22 arson fire at a house in Lombard.

Photo courtesy of Bob Cassidy

Todd Mandoline

About this Article

Jason Cassidy remembers little about the fire that took 40 percent of his skin and killed one of his friends. But the Villa Park man tells the Daily Herald he is determined to recover. "I was basically given two choices -- you can either live your life as a burn victim forever or you can go back and live your life before the incident even happened. Obviously, I chose the second choice."