Dr. Tom Kato is back at work on Monday, a day after taking a 26-mile lap around the city.
[Ads /]
"I ran a little too fast in the beginning and ended up slowing down a lot later," said Dr. Tom Kato a transplant surgeon at New York Presbyterian/Columbia University. "But I really felt good, I liked it."
The 58-year-old finished the New York City Marathon in 5 hours and 38 minutes -- a race that's really the last leg of a journey that took the world-renowned transplant surgeon close to death.
ALSO READ | Running, eating and weather! Lee's guide to Marathon Sunday
Running, eating and weather! Lee's guide to Marathon Sunday
"You heard about this white light coming and surrounding you, I had that, I really thought this is the death, in my mind I thought this is how people die," Kato said.
Dr. Kato caught COVID early and became a patient at New York Presbyterian Columbia, the very hospital where he practices.
He was on a ventilator for four weeks and an ECMO machine, and even when he turned the corner, he struggled.
"I wasn't able to raise my arm for a while, I had to do a lot of physical therapy for it ," Kato said.
[Ads /]
Two months after he was admitted to the hospital he was finally released. Three months after that he was back to doing surgeries but getting back to running, his hobby, took a little longer.
"The first time I tried to run I couldn't even run 30 feet," he said. "Oh there's not going to be any marathon."
But for Dr. Kato, it wasn't just about proving to himself he'd overcome COVID, it was a way to say thanks to those who helped him get there.
"I owed it to everyone at this hospital. They saved my life, they saved my life," he said. The medal yesterday was big too, so big and heavy I was so proud to be able to do that."
This was Dr. Kato's 8th New York City marathon. And no doubt the most meaningful.
Woman races towards cure for father's brain cancer
[Ads /]
Former FDNY firefighter-turned-teacher returns to NYC to run first TCS NYC Marathon
Are you running correctly? Tips from an exercise physiologist
Man running the NYC Marathon with surgeon who saved him
New Jersey woman runs NYC Marathon two decades after 9/11 to honor friends
Hospital for Special Surgery helps woman get back on her feet
91-year-old volunteer Barbara Rubenstein offers comfort at finish line of TCS NYC Marathon
Runners take part in 2021 TCS NYC Marathon to raise money in support of restaurants
Chris Nikic runs NYC Marathon 1 year after becoming 1st person with Down syndrome to finish Ironman
Thomas Valles, runner featured in Disney film 'McFarland, USA,' set for 1st NYC Marathon
----------
* Get Eyewitness News Delivered
* More Manhattan news
* Send us a news tip
* Download the abc7NY app for breaking news alerts
* Follow us on YouTube
Submit a News Tip