( CNN ) -- Less than a month after suffering serious burns in a propane grill accident , sports broadcasting pioneer Hannah Storm returned to TV Tuesday , hosting Southern California 's historic Rose Parade . Storm , host of ESPN 's morning `` SportsCenter , '' was using a propane gas grill outside her Connecticut home three weeks ago when it exploded , ABC said , causing her first- and second-degree burns . Storm lost her eyebrows , eyelashes and much of her hair , according to the network . `` Ca n't begin to thank you all enough for your kindness and support , '' Storm tweeted Tuesday before the parade . On Monday she tweeted , `` Especially thankful this New Year 's ! '' The only on-camera evidence of her accident was Storm 's bandaged left hand , which was visible at the beginning of the parade broadcast . `` The healing process has begun , and you look as good as ever , '' said her co-host , Josh Elliott , Storm 's former partner at ESPN . `` The best medicine is being with you , '' she said . In an interview with ABC 's World News , Storm described the accident . She checked on the propane grill on a chilly night and discovered the flame had been blown out . `` The cover of the grill was open so I assumed ... that there would n't be any gas in the air . Well , propane is actually heavier than air and especially in cold weather it tends to sit on top of the grill , pool inside , '' she said . `` So the second I relit the flame -- after I turned the gas off ... it was a wall of fire , a huge explosion . So much force that it blew the doors of the grill completely off . `` A neighbor clear across the street had thought a tree had fallen through his roof , that 's how loud the explosion was , and it happened in a split second , '' she said . `` And immediately I was on fire , so my hair was on fire , my chest and the whole top of my shirt was on fire . I did n't know what to do other than -- I 'm left handed -- reach and just get the shirt off of me as quickly as possible . `` I yelled inside to my 15-year-old daughter who was in the kitchen , 'Mommy 's on fire ! You have to call 911 ! ' `` Storm said , becoming choked up . Before Tuesday 's Rose Parade broadcast , she spent an hour in the makeup room and wore false eyelashes and hair extensions , she said . At one point during the parade broadcast , Storm added a personal note as a float honoring the parade 's president -- a nurse -- passed by . `` Thanks to all the great nurses at Westchester burn unit '' who have `` been to my house every day for the last couple of weeks helping me be here today , '' Storm said . Celebrating its 124th year , the parade has made Pasadena famous with its magnificent , colorful floats decorated with rose and other flower petals , stems and leaves . The parade 's theme this year was `` Oh , the Places You 'll Go , '' a tip of the hat to children 's author Dr. Seuss . Related : Chinese and American marching bands unite for Rose Parade . An Atlanta native and Notre Dame alum , Storm pioneered her way into the world of sports journalism . She began her career in the early '80s , when the TV sports industry hired few women . `` I literally could n't get anyone to hire me , '' she told Forbes.com in 2009 . `` Having a woman do sports was seen as too risky . '' Her persistence led to on-air sports jobs at CNN and NBC -- where she covered high-profile events including the Olympics , baseball 's World Series and the Wimbledon tennis championship . Later , Storm hosted CBS News ' `` Early Show , '' where she transcended sports and interviewed newsmakers such as Barack Obama and George W. Bush . Storm , who was born with a port wine-stain birthmark underneath her left eye , founded a charitable organization that helps children with debilitating and disfiguring vascular birthmarks . CNN 's Sarah Aarthun and Michael Martinez contributed to this report .
Storm describes yelling to daughter ' Mommy 's on fire ... Call 911 ! '' Storm attended the Rose Parade just weeks after suffering severe burns . She was burned at her Connecticut home while using an outdoor grill . Appearing with a bandage , Storm tweets thanks to supporters .