Robert L. Stevenson and A.E. Housman expressed poetically what it’s like for the sailor to come home from the sea and for the hunter to come home from the hill. However, it’s doubtful that either of the great poets could have expressed the feeling of coming home for Elmer Gene Fleming.

Somewhere around 6 p.m. today Fleming will come home to Pike County after spending eight months in hospitals recovering from severe brain trauma suffered in an industrial accident at KW Plastics in Troy on Nov. 8.

Fleming will be released from Touchstone Neurorecovery Center in Conroe, Texas today and fly home with his wife, Wanda. Their flight is scheduled to arrive in Birmingham at 2:30 p.m. and the plan is to arrive in Troy around 6 p.m.

“Elmer Gene is so excited to be coming home and everyone is excited to have him home,” said Lindy Wood, a relative. “People all across Pike County have had him in their prayers and we all know the power of prayer.”

Arrangements have been made to welcome Fleming home with a show of continued support from family and friends.

“What we want to do invite all of Elmer’s friends to join us along the Elba highway with welcome come signs and balloons or by waving the Troy University colors. Elmer is a huge fan of Troy University,” Wood said. “There are quite a few places along the Elba highway where people can stand away from the traffic – the Troy City Board of Education building, the highway department, several churches, SARHA. We would like to have a big crowd to welcome Elmer Gene home. It would mean a lot to him.”

A Troy City Police patrol car will meet the Flemings’ car at the Holiday Inn and escort it down the Elba highway to the Troy city limit.

“Wanda and Elmer Gene will turn left at Ward’s Grocery in Springhill and then on to their home in Tarentum,” Wood said. “It would be nice for people all along that route to welcome them home.”

If the Flemings’ flight is delayed, the announcement will be made on WTBF-Radio after 4 p.m.

“We encourage those who want to be a part of welcoming Elmer Gene home to listen to WTBF for any updates on the time,” Wood said. “But, hopefully, the plane will be on time and Wanda and Elmer will get here right around 6 o’clock.”

Following the accident on Nov. 8, Fleming was in Baptist South in Montgomery for about a month. He was then transferred to the Shepherd Center in Atlanta until April and then continued his rehabilitation at Touchstone.

He will continue his recovery at home. His family expressed appreciation for all the kindnesses shown to them during this difficult time and asks for continued prayers.