A celebration of life took place Tuesday at Saint Charles Hospital in Port Jefferson for retired correction officer Timothy Heaton.

Heaton had been hospitalized with a severe case of COVID-19 since September.

Heaton beat the odds and cheated death several times. He has now left the hospital and was finally able to return to his Medford home after five months.

Heaton's kidneys failed. He had pneumonia and was in a coma for six weeks.

His family was rushed to his bedside several times as he was given last rites.

"The doctors saved my life, that's all I can say," Heaton says.

He worked as a Suffolk County correction officer for 30 years, was just two weeks from retiring when he became ill with COVID-19.

Heaton's physical therapists call his case a miracle.

"At times it was really tough for him to do but he always pushed through," says occupational therapist Laura Vaughn.

Heaton says his first grandchild Haley kept his spirits alive.

He says the first thing he's going to do when he gets home is say hello to his dog Cappy, who he really missed.