Matthew Long, a Bay Ridge firefighter who was struck by a bus in Manhattan during the illegal NYC transit strike of 2005, will run the New York City Marathon on November 2.

At the time of his injury, Matt was given a one percent chance of survival. Two weeks ago, while accepting ‘The Courage Award’ presented by The Francesco Loccisano Memorial Foundation at their HopeFest 2008 Dinner, he announced to the crowd that he would, once again, run in the NYC Marathon.

Early one morning, just a few days before Christmas in 2005, Matthew was hit by a bus chartered by Bear Stearns carrying its employees. He had been riding his bicycle to his job teaching at the NYC Fire Academy on Randall’s Island because of the restriction on cars in Manhattan due to the transit strike.

Matt’s body was mangled; he spent close to one month in a coma, enduring 40 operations. He received 65 units of blood during the first 48 hours of his hospital stay. The wonderful care Matt received at New York Presbyterian Weill Cornell Hospital and the overwhelming outpouring of prayers from every corner of the city, combined with his own strength and determination, are proof that miracles can happen.

Matt had decided in February of 2008 to attempt another NYC Marathon run. He had three NYC Marathons behind him, his last was just weeks before the accident. His time then was 3 hours and 13 minutes. A dedicated tri-athlete who was preparing for the 2006 Iron-Man Triathlon before he was struck down, Matt’s first race after the accident was the Bishop Ford Kenny Dolan Run in June of 2008. Matt will run this Sunday’s marathon with the ‘Athletes with Disabilities’ and begin at 7:30 a.m. on the Fort Wadsworth side of the Verrazano Bridge. Hundreds of his friends and family will be spread along Fourth Avenue cheering for this inspirational hero. Many Bishop Ford athletes will set up on 19th Street and Fourth Avenue to cheer on Matt and other runners.

When asked for his thoughts on running this marathon, Matt said, “I’ve set no goals, no timetables, this one’s strictly about survival.�

—Tom Kane
Brooklyn Eagle

[editor’s note: For more specific information on start times for various runner categories, see www.nycmarathon.org]

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