BANGOR (AP) – Stephen King will be home for the holidays.

King was released from the Eastern Maine Medical Center on Wednesday after spending 25 days in the hospital fighting pneumonia and complications from a 1999 accident, the author’s spokeswoman Marsha DeFilippo told The Associated Press.

“He’s home and on the mend. He’s happy to be home for the holidays,” she said.

King will need to return for an X-ray to make sure the pneumonia is completely gone, said his attorney, Warren Silver.

But he’s in good spirits and will spend the holiday season relaxing at home and regaining his strength, Silver said.

King, 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.

The author’s 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 a surgery to remove the fluid.

The pneumonia largely dissipated two weeks ago but King remained in the hospital while doctors looked into lingering problems tied to a 1999 accident in which he was struck by a van near his vacation home in North Lovell.

The accident left King with a broken leg and hip, a punctured lung, broken ribs and other injuries. Most of his injuries healed, but he was still experiencing pain in one of his legs.

The driver of the van that hit King told police his dog Bullet had distracted him. Bryan Smith of Fryeburg pleaded guilty to driving to endanger and his license was suspended for six months.

He later was found dead at his home after an apparently accidental overdose of a prescription drug.

King gained international fame for such books as “Carrie,” “The Shining” and “The Stand.” His most recent book, “Wolves of the Calla,” was at the top of the best seller charts this week.