Blood Recipient Matthew Long Returns to New Yor... ( FDNY Survivor of Bus Accident Ret...)

Blood Recipient Matthew Long Returns to New York Marathon

Date:10/31/2008

FDNY Survivor of Bus Accident Returns after 68 blood transfusions, 3-year recovery

NEW YORK, Oct. 31 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- New York Blood Center (NYBC) announces the return of athlete Matthew Long, a blood transfusion recipient, to the New York City Marathon on November 2, 2008. Long, a New York City firefighter, former triathlete and competitive marathoner, was critically injured when he was hit by a 40,000 pound charter bus while biking to work on December 23, 2005. He received 68 blood transfusions in the first 24 to 48 hours following his accident.

Long suffered multiple fractures, internal injuries and internal bleeding, the source of which was difficult to find. He was hospitalized for five months, and has undergone approximately 40 operations and hundreds of hours of physical therapy. Doctors called his recovery a miracle.

"I had a 1% chance of living. The tremendous outpouring of New Yorkers, strangers and friends who donated blood was a huge, huge help in my time of need," Long said. "People who donate blood played a huge part of saving my life."

As a New York City firefighter and blood donor, Matthew Long made a conscious effort to give blood at least once a year. At least eight blood drives were held in Matthew's name, where New York Blood Center collected hundreds of units of blood. "To actually realize that you're on the other end of it, needing the blood, it's a great relief knowing that I had people behind me, like the New York City Fire Department and others who make it an effort to donate blood," Long said.

Matthew Long, 42, is attempting to run the New York City Marathon this Sunday in roughly 8 to 10 hours. Before his accident, Matthew had run the marathon in 3 hours 13 minutes and 59 seconds, an average of 7 minutes and 20 seconds per mile. His mile time today is 14 minutes, but he is grateful to be alive and strong enough for the intensive training that it takes to be able to run 26.2 miles.

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