A South King Fire and Rescue firefighter who was critically injured in late November will be discharged from the hospital March 9.

Wynn Loiland, 52, suffered life-threatening injuries after being struck by a vehicle on Interstate 5 while responding to the scene of a rollover accident. On Nov. 20, a Chevrolet Blazer traveling on southbound I-5 near South 272nd Street in Federal Way apparently hit an icy spot and lost control. The vehicle struck Loiland on the road’s right shoulder.

Loiland, a 31-year veteran of the fire service, suffered severe head and facial injuries, a collapsed lung and a broken arm. He remained in a coma at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle until just around Christmas, the fire district reports.

Loiland’s wife, Sue, posted the following message on SKFR’s Facebook page:

“Wynn has a discharge date! He will return home on March 9. While he received this news with great joy and relief (he was beginning to wonder if the day would ever come), he is having difficulty waiting out his remaining time. He will continue all of his therapies on an outpatient basis since he still has a very long way to go to full recovery. It’s my belief he will make some big improvement once he’s in his own familiar environment. Wynn’s had a few outings in preparation for his release and he’s handling them very well. Keep us in your prayers as we work on this important transition.”

The accident is under investigation by the Washington State Patrol, which sought witnesses in the following weeks. There was no alcohol involved and no criminal findings have been reported.

Well-wishers for Loiland came forward from more than half of the states in the country and from overseas, the fire district reports.