He was found by people passed out from blood loss after severing an artery in his arm smashing through a window to escape.
He spent five weeks in hospital following the blaze to have many surgeries, including extensive skin grafts to repair the serious burns on his back.
The ex- Rotorua Boys' High School student was now living back home and wanting to move on with his life.
A fundraising campaign has raised almost $18,000 and he was now desperate to find work to avoid sitting at home.
Mr Bradey said after the fire he'd have daily flashbacks, but they were starting to lessen.
Some of his memories following the fire are blurred although he remembers coming too after the fire in terrible pain.
Mum Angalina Summers said her focus now was on Mr Bradey having a normal life after what he had gone through. Top of the list is finding Mr Bradey, who has several different driver licence categories, a job.
"It's mixed emotions, you feel proud of him but then your son just about died."
Miss Summers said her son was the type of person who would never have forgiven himself if he'd lived and the girl had died.
She said they'd been humbled by how much had been raised through the campaign.
"I think people gravitate to it because he risked his own life and because of that she now gets to have children and grandchildren and a future."
Miss Summers said even before the fire, there were two things she had a fear of - and fires was one of them.
"Just about losing a child isn't something I would wish on anybody. It makes you very grateful for the things you have and all the little things he does."-www.givealittle.co.nz/cause/carlbradey