NEW YORK (1010 WINS) -- It was a hero’s salute for a Long Island boy after he finally left the hospital he's spent half of his life in.
Anthony Rojas, 7, left St. Mary’s Hospital for Children in Queens after four years Thursday — getting a huge welcome from police, friends and family, which included a helicopter flyover and plenty of gifts.
“Thank you St. Mary’s, for taking care of me,” said Rojas.
Rojas has a lung disorder called bronchiolitis obliterans that health officials said caused scarring and made breathing a tough task. It popped up when he was three years old as a cold, but progressively got worse.
“He was on the transplant list for a double lung transplant. He then got sicker and was off the list because he was too sick,” said Dina Spierer, a St. Mary’s nurse. “Now he’s off the list because he’s doing really well.”
The hospital said after infusion treatments and intensive therapies, things started to look up for Rojas.
“No one on his care team nor in his family ever thought a discharge like this would be possible,” the Bayside hospital said in a Facebook post. “Everyone is thrilled for him because he will benefit greatly from being in the community and attending a school like a regular kid.”
Rojas, with an oxygen tank, got a police escort back to his Suffolk County home. He was named an honorary officer for the day and was showered in cheers and gifts from officers as part of the NYPD’s HOPE program.
“Officers & hospital staff wanted to make his departure a special one with K9’s, a Mounted Officer, Bomb Squad & more as we wish him well!” the NYPD tweeted.
Next up for the young boy — he just wants to play with his brother.