Like most teenagers, Mace Jefferson had a long list of things he planned to do in the next six months.
Many of those plans will have to be put on hold as he recovers from a severed Achilles tendon he suffered when he kicked in a glass window to try to save a five-year-old trapped in a burning house at Swansea last week.
The apprentice carpenter, who turns 17 in October, is now recovering at home after surgery last Friday.
"He's stable, we are just waiting for everything to settle so he can start physio," Mace's mother Alicia Jefferson said.
"It's going to be a long haul. There were so many things he was looking forward to in the next few months.
"But he's also lucky, he's got a lot of people around him who will make sure he is entertained. He's got a great girlfriend, who has been amazing."
Among those who visited Mace while he was in John Hunter Hospital was the family of the two five-year-old girls who were trapped in the burning house.
While Mace's actions contributed to one of the girls being saved, the other girl was found deceased inside the home.
An 87-year-old woman who lived with the two girls was taken to hospital in a serious condition, suffering burns. She remained in hospital on Tuesday in a stable condition.
"It was very emotional but it was really nice that they got to have that moment. It was very challenging," Ms Jefferson said of the visit.
A GoFundMe fundraiser to assist Mace's recovery exceeded its original target and is now sitting at $24,890.
Ms Jefferson said most of the funds would be used to pay off Mace's recently purchased Hilux.
"He won't be able to work so it will definitely take the edge off his stress," she said.
"We are very grateful, everyone has been incredibly supportive."
Mace has been widely praised for this efforts to help after coming across the house fire last Thursday.
Acting Lake Macquarie Police superintendent Lisa Jones said last week it was "a very selfless act".
The teenager and his mates had been to the beach during their lunch break from their carpentry course at Belmont TAFE.
As they were driving back along Northcote Avenue at Swansea they came across the unfolding tragedy.
Mace and his friends saw the little girl inside the burning home, and Mace kicked the window in an attempt to get to her, causing his injury.
Another group of boys also stopped to help and Mace's mother said he wanted to acknowledge the many helpers at the horrific scene.
"His main concern was that he didn't want to be pinned as the hero," she said.
"There were a lot of people there."
The cause of the blaze is still under investigation.
