A New York City firefighter sidelined by a near fatal bicycle accident is heading home after a five-month hospital stay.

Matthew Long, an Iona College alum, was critically injured after being hit by a charter bus in December. Long was struck as he bicycled to work during December?s transit strike that shut down New York City subways.

Doctors at first suspected the firefighter had sustained injuries he would not recover from, but were heartened as his condition improved. Firefighters from across the country held fundraisers for Long whose father, Michael, is the New York State Conservative Party chairman.

After spending months recovering from his injuries at New York Presbyterian Cornell Hospital in Manhattan, hundreds gathered there Wednesday to cheer Long?s release.