>> THIS IS KCRA NEWS AT 11:00. GULSTAN: A VERY SPECIAL POLICE ESCORT AT THE SACRAMENTO AIRPORT TONIGHT, FOR A MARINE RECOVERING FROM A DEVASTATING INJURY, SERGEANT TYLER VARGAS-ANDREWS RECEIVED A HEROES WELCOME JUST BEFORE 10:00 TONIGHT. [APPLAUSE] GULSTAN: THIS WAS THE SCENE AT THE SACRAMENTO AIRPORT. HUGE CHEERS FOR TYLER VARGAS-ANDREWS. HE SURVIVED A DEADLY ATTACK IN AFGHANISTAN NEARLY A YEAR AGO. ANDREA: HE WAS IN KABUL, HELPING AFGHANS LEAVE THE COUNTRY, AS THE LAST AMERICAN TROOPS WITHDREW. THAT’S WHEN A BOMB WENT OFF AT THE AIRPORT. 13 U.S. SERVICE MEMBERS WERE KILLED, AND 18-WERE HURT. GULSTAN: NOW, AFTER NEARLY A YEAR OF RECOVERY, SERGEANT VARGAS-ANDREWS IS BACK HOME. KCRA 3’S MELANIE WINGO WAS WITH THE FAMILY WHEN HE RETURNED. SHE JOINS US NOW LIVE WITH THE LATEST. IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL HOMECOMING. MELANIE: IT WAS INCREDIBLE TO SEE THE HUGE SHOW OF SUPPORT HERE AT THE AIRPORT. AT LEAST A FEW DOZEN PEOPLE WERE RIGHT BY THE DOOR. BEYOND THAT, AND INTO THE TERMINAL. PEOPLE WHO MIGHT NOT HAVE EVEN KNOWN HIM WERE GATHERED AROUND, READY TO SUPPORT HIM. WE WANT TO SHOW YOU THE PATH YOU TOOK. HE WAS IN ONE OF THOSE ELEVATORS AND PEOPLE WERE CHEERING. THEN HE CAME THROUGH THE DOORS. WE HAVE VIDEO OF THAT EXACT MOMENT WHEN HE CAME THROUGH THE DOORS AND WAS GREETED BY ALL THE SUPPORTERS. THEY HAD FLAGS, SIGNS, SO MUCH EXCITEMENT. FOR A BRIEF MOMENT, RIGHT AFTER HE CAME THROUGH THE DOORS, WE WERE ABLE TO ASK HIM A COUPLE QUICK QUESTIONS. TAKE A LISTEN. HOW DOES IT FEEL TO BE HOME? >> IT FEELS AWESOME. JUST AWESOME. MELANIE: HOW DOES IT FEEL TO SEE ALL OF THESE PEOPLE OUT HERE? >> I DIDN’T THINK I KNEW SO MANY PEOPLE, TO BE HONEST. MELANIE: SUCH GREAT SPIRITS AND SO STRONG. THE SERGEANT, JUST SO EXCITED TO BE GREETED BY HIS FAMILY AND FRIENDS. I ASKED HIM AS WELL, WHAT’S THE FIRST THING HE WANTS TO DO WHEN HE GETS BACK TO FOLSOM? HE SAID, HAVE A BEER WITH FRIENDS AND HANG OUT. SOUNDS PRETTY NICE. WE HAD THE CHANCE EARLIER TODAY AS WELL TO CHECK IN WITH SOME OF THE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY PREPARING FOR HIS ARRIVAL. WARM WELCOME MESSAGES WRITTEN IN RED, WHITE AND BLUE READY TO GREET A SERVICE MEMBER AS HE RETURNS HOME. >> THE COMMUNITY IS HERE TO SUPPORT HIM AND SHOW HIM LOVE . MELANIE: VOLUNTEERS SPENT THE AFTERNOON DECORATING SIGNS AND PREPARING TO GIVE U.S. MARINE CORPS SERGEANT TYLER VARGAS ANDREWS OF FOLSOM A HERO’S WELCOME. >> WE’RE EXCITED TO HELP THE COMMUNITY UNDERSTAND WHAT IT REALLY MEANS TO SACRIFICE FOR YOUR COUNTRY AND FOR FREEDOM. MELANIE: SGT. VARGAS ANDREWS HEADING TO FOLSOM FROM WALTER REED MEDICAL CENTER AFTER SPENDING NEARLY A YEAR RECOVERING FROM INJURIES HE RECEIVED IN A SUICIDE BOMB BLAST IN AFGHANISTAN. THE GROUP WAR FIGHTER OVERWATCH ORGANIZING THE EFFORT TO WELCOME HIM BACK TO HIS HOMETOWN. >> IT’S ABSOLUTELY AN HONOR. I’M SO HUMBLED TO BE ABLE TO WELCOME TYLER HOME. MELANIE: VOLUNTEERS SAY, THIS SHOW OF SUPPORT, A VITAL PART OF SGT. VARGAS ANDREWS’ HOMECOMING AND FOR VETERANS LIKE HIM COMING HOME AFTER SERVING. >> THEY DON’T GET TO CHOOSE WHERE THEY GO. AND WHEN THEY GO. OUR COUNTRY DECIDES FOR THEM. BUT THEY SHOW UP EVERY TIME AND DO THEIR JOB THE LEAST WE CAN DO IS SHOW OUR GRATITUDE. ANDREA: -- GULSTAN: MELANIE: A POLICE MOTORCADE HAS ESCORTED HIM HOMETOWN FOLSOM. WE WATCHED ON SOME OF OUR CALTRANS CAMS, ALL-OUT U.S. 50 AS PEOPLE WERE ON THE OVERPASSES WAVING, CHEERING, HOLDING SIGNS. TYLER WILL BE HONORED AS WELL ON SUNDAY NIGHT AT THE FOLSOM RODEO. HE IS GOING TO BE HONORED BY THE COMMUNITY AND CELEBRATED FOR HIS SERVICE AND HIS RECOVERY. ALSO SOME SERVICEMEMBERS WHO DIED IN ACTION WILL BE HONORED THAT NIGHT AS WELL. YOU CAN BET WE WILL BE THERE TO COVER THAT FOR YOU. MELANIE WINGO, KCRA NEWS. GULSTA