Author King released from hospital

Author Stephen King has been released from the Eastern Maine Medical Centre after spending 25 days in the hospital fighting pneumonia and complications from a 1999 accident.

His spokeswoman, Marsha DeFilippo, said: “He’s home and on the mend. He’s happy to be home for the holidays.”

King will need to return for an X-ray to make sure the pneumonia is completely gone but he is in good spirits and will spend the holiday season relaxing at home and regaining his strength.

King, aged 56, was diagnosed with pneumonia before a November trip to New York to receive the National Book Foundation’s 2003 Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters.

His condition worsened when he returned home to Bangor and doctors diagnosed him with pleural effusion, an abnormal accumulation of fluid in the membrane surrounding the lung.

King underwent surgery to remove the fluid.