A 73-year-old Rancho Viejo man returned to the hospital where he spent nearly two months recovering after a driver hit him while he was on a bike ride.

This time, Julio Cardenas came back to say thank you.

"Those people are special because that was the day God chose them to help me survive," Cardenas said.

Police say Cardenas was hit by a driver in Brownsville while on his daily bike ride in January. The crash left him hospitalized for about two months.

His family turned to their faith and never gave up hope for his recovery.

"From the very first day I had the accident, they told [my family] that I wasn't going to make it," Cardenas said. "Every day they prayed to God."

On Wednesday, Cardenas reunited with the nurses, doctors, EMS crews, and therapists who helped him recover at Valley Regional Medical Center in Brownsville.

"Each one, using their own knowledge, kept me alive," Cardenas said.

Physical therapist Alma Ramirez was one of the people who helped Cardenas get stronger. She said seeing him again was meaningful.

"There are some patients who stay with you, really stay with you. You think about them and wonder. He was definitely one of them," Ramirez said. "We don't usually get that chance to see how our patients are doing after all the care that they receive from us. It's really nice to see how he's doing. He's doing so amazing."

Cardenas said the experience changed how he looks at life.

"To be honest, I don't think I'll ever get on a bike again. I mean, I think it was a sign from God telling me to take care of myself," Cardenas said.

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