DOUGLAS COUNTY, Colo. -- Those who know Devin Barnhart call him a hero.

He was burned over 75 percent of his body while trying to save his friends from a burning home.

Now, two years later, he is telling the story of his breakthrough laser treatments and recovery, giving hope to burn victims and everyone else.

The thick rope-like scars covering Barnhart's body serve as a constant reminder of that night in Roxborough two years ago.

"I woke up to a burning living room," said Barnhart. "First thing I could do is start screaming 'Fire!'"

Barnhart and his friend Jeremy McCarroll made it out. But when they realized their other friends weren't behind them, they went back in.

"Unfortunately, he perished along with our other two loving friends, and I barely made it out myself," Barnhart said of McCarroll.

Barnhart had severe burns over 75 percent of his body.

"He is a hero to me," said Patty McCarroll, Jeremy's mother. "The first time I saw Devin, I was told that his chances were very slim to make it through this."

But through four months of skin grafts and two dozen medical procedures at the University of Colorado Hospital in Aurora, Barnhart kept fighting for the friends he lost.

"They were robbed at such as young age, and that's been my biggest determination to succeed," he said.

But the scars, both physical and emotional, remained -- until now.

7NEWS cameras went along to capture the breakthrough laser treatment for burn patients.

"It's using what's called fractional carbon dioxide energy," said Dr. Manish Shah, a Denver plastic surgeon who has been using the Lumenis laser for cosmetic skin resurfacing for years.

New research shows it can also give new hope to burn victims, breaking down hardened, thick skin to make movement easier and smooth out scars.

"Those little burns are tiny cores of tissue, just like the kind where you're aerating your lawn," said Shah. "Then they collapse and the scar is reduced."

Barnhart has had seven treatments on his legs, torso and back.

"The reduction of the scars has just been amazing," Barnhart said.

Since the fire, family friends point out Barnhart has finished his degree, started his own business and regularly volunteers at the hospital.

"I think his attitude is helping other victims. I just think he's a great voice for all of this," his mom said.

Barnhart said he is just excited about what this breakthrough treatment can do for other burn victims.

"The stigma of being burned is very hard to deal with, and fortunately, I've kind of been cocky my whole life and have a pretty fair ground on who I am," he said with a smile.

Now that his scars are fading, he has a new reminder of that night -- a tattoo of a phoenix rising from the ashes.

"When I was in the fire, I felt like part of me died," said Barnhart. "I grew out of the ashes and I developed into a better person. It puts life into perspective. The real important things are not monetary things. It's the people you love and who you want to surround yourself with."

If you'd like more information about Lumenis medical lasers, visit www.lumenis.com.