Friendship Is Forged Through Pain : Health: Injured fire captain read stories to 4-year-old Kenny Mounts while both were hospitalized at Sherman Oaks burn center.

For 4-year-old Kenny Mounts, who was badly burned when his shirt caught fire while he was playing with a lighter in June, the hospital had become a cold and lonely place.

Then he met Capt. Mike Rodriguez.

The Los Angeles Fire Department captain was healing, like Kenny, at the Sherman Oaks Hospital Burn Center, recovering from injuries he suffered when he stepped on a red-hot nail while battling the Altadena fire. They have known each other barely a week, but Rodriguez has become a source of support and love for the boy. Kenny, in turn, became an inspiration to Rodriguez.

“It really kind of tore my heart a little bit,” Rodriguez said of Kenny, who is still recovering from second- and third-degree burns. “So I went in and told him that I was a fireman and that I wanted to be his friend.”

Rodriguez took to reading the boy bedtime stories and talking with him to pass the long days and nights. “They visited a lot and they had a good time,” said Rita Mounts, Kenny’s grandmother. “He’s happier and not so fearful of the hospital.”

But on Tuesday it was time to say goodby and, at a news conference, Rodriguez told of the bond he and Kenny had forged. Kenny also struck up friendships with other firefighters injured in the recent fires, but Rodriguez was best able to visit the young boy.

Sitting in Rodriguez’s lap during the news conference, Kenny clutched a stuffed Dalmatian given to him by Cleveland Tipton, who is one of four firefighters recovering at the burn center after being overcome by smoke and flames in the Oct. 27 Chatsworth blaze.

Also recovering at the burn center are city firefighters Russell Nakamura, Gary Carpenter, Jan Bernard and California Department of Forestry Firefighter Al Mcbride. Two other CDF firefighters have already been released.

Kenny, wearing bandages on his arms and chest, appeared shy and somewhat frightened by the brace of television cameras and reporters’ questions, giving one-word answers, or none at all, to most questions.

But he got one question right.

“I wanna be a fireman,” he said softly from beneath the brim of the giant yellow firefighters’ helmet that sat loosely on his small head. “I wanna get out the fires.”

As other firefighters watched, Kenny was declared an honorary firefighter for life and extended an open invitation to come visit his new friends whenever he likes.

Kenny was admitted to the hospital in June after suffering burns on more than 30% of his body. He underwent several skin graft operations and returned for reconstructive surgery between Oct. 29 and Nov. 5, when he met the injured firefighters. He returned Tuesday for outpatient treatment.

Rodriguez, who is expected to be released as early as Friday, said Kenny’s strength made him look at his own injuries in a different light.

“I’m kind of a short-timer here. I’m gonna be in and out,” the 19-year veteran fire captain said. “If this little tiger can make it, boy, this is the best place in the world to come.”