DANVILLE, Va. (rbs news now) — Less than three months after an attack left him with severe burns over most of his body, Danville City Councilman Lee Vogler made a return to the council chambers Tuesday night.

On July 30, Vogler’s life changed when police say Shotsie Buck-Hayes doused him in gasoline and set him on fire outside his office.

Vogler suffered critical injuries, with infections affecting 90% of his body, and spent nearly three weeks unconscious at Duke University Hospital.

“God is everything,” Vogler said during the meeting. “For me to be able to be here tonight is nothing short of a miracle. I was in really bad shape.”

The suspect, Buck-Hayes, has been charged with attempted first-degree murder and aggravated malicious wounding.

During a September court hearing, a Danville Police sergeant testified that Buck-Hayes told investigators he attacked Vogler because of an alleged affair with his wife.

A Danville Circuit Court judge later ordered a psychological evaluation for Buck-Hayes to assess his competency and potential insanity defense.

His trial is set for January 6.

After the attack, Vogler was airlifted to the hospital and remained there for nearly three months.

His wife, Blair Vogler, stayed by his side throughout his recovery, which doctors had initially estimated could take six months or more.

Vogler was moved out of intensive care on October 7 and was released just two weeks later.

“My wife, Blair, was there every step of the way,” Vogler said. “I wouldn’t be here without her, my kids, and the amazing medical team that took care of me.”

As Vogler entered Danville City Hall for the first time on October 21 since the attack, the crowd erupted in applause.

Someone shouted, “God is good!”

Vogler shared that faith, family, and community support fueled his recovery.

“The people of Danville always go above and beyond to show their love and support,” he said. “They rallied around me as the comeback kid, and I really feel like that — maybe even the miracle man.”

Despite ongoing pain and limited use of his hands, Vogler said his next goal is to get back to coaching his son’s baseball team.

“I got a lot of work to do on my hands to get them back fully functional,” he said. “My next goal is to get a baseball glove on that left hand and a baseball on my right and get back on that field with those kids.”

Reflecting on his recovery, Vogler spoke to reporters after the meeting.

“When the doctors told me I could go home on the 21st, they asked, ‘You’re not going to the council meeting, are you?’ I said, ‘I wouldn’t miss it for the world.’”

Vogler ended the night with a message of gratitude to God, his family, and the community that never stopped believing in his recovery.

“I feel blessed again to be here at all,” he said. “To be back home, in this city I love, surrounded by people who never gave up on me — that’s nothing short of a miracle.”

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