A Kings Park man who had COVID-19 is marking the one-year anniversary of being released from the hospital with a show of appreciation to the health care heroes who treated him.

Matthew DiRusso and his friends biked 13 miles from his home in Kings Park to South Shore University Hospital to thank the workers who helped nurse him back to health. “I’m lucky to be alive,” DiRusso says.

DiRusso had a collapsed lung last year and was in the hospital for about two months. He says the staff was fantastic and acted like his family since his actual family couldn't visit because of COVID restrictions. He handed out 167 gift bags to all the workers who helped get him back to his family.

"Everyone was absolutely terrific. It was wonderful to be around those people seeing what they do every day there. Terrific people and they deserve all the credit they get," said DiRusso.

His wife, Melia DiRusso says the health care workers were like family when she and her family couldn’t visit Matthew. “How do you say thank you for sending your husband back home again,” Melia says.

The gift bags had items for nurses and doctors like hand sanitizer, tissues, ChapStick and face masks.

Andrea Abbondondolo, Matthew’s physician’s assistant says it’s wonderful to see a patient that was so sick be able to be active again.

Matthew says he's happy he gets to be active again and ride his bike with his family and friends.

He says he'll always be grateful for the health care workers at South Shore University Hospital.