A Suffolk police officer who was critically injured in a head-on collision earlier this month left the hospital Friday.

A few hundred people came to Stony Brook University Hospital to celebrate the recovery of Police Officer Christian Vidal.

 

Officer Vidal was seriously injured on Sept. 1 when a car veered into him. Police say the driver of that car was intoxicated and died in the accident.

From the magnitude of the crash, Officer Vidal's aorta was torn, his hip was fractured and dislocated, and he was in a coma. He spent two weeks on a life support.

Then about four days ago, he started breathing on his own. His doctors say his prognosis is excellent.

Officer Vidal, who served three tours in Iraq and is currently in the reserves, will spend time in rehab.