Dr. Peter Ruehlman welcomed home after risky surgery

Dr. Ruehlman is a well-known oncologist who just received a stem cell transplant for a rare blood disease.

Family and friends lined the streets of Mount Adams to welcome him home.

Rebecca Ruehlman/Dr. Peter'sDaughter152110 It's one thingthat people say, you know,'we're there for you if youneed anything.'

And todaythey're showing up and there'sa lot of people here, which isreallycool.A LONG AWAITED HOMECOMINGFOR A LOCAL DOCTOR WITH ADANGOUERS DIAGNOSIS.DOCTORPETER RUEHLMAN IS A WELL-KNOWNONCOLOGIST... WHO JUST HAD ASTEM CELL ANTRSPLANT FOR ARARE BLOOD DISEASE.TODAY -- MANY OF HISOV LEDONES LINED THE STREETS INMOUNT ADAMS... READY TOWELCOME HIMHOME.THE CELEBRATION IS WHATHE ASK EDFOR... BEFORE LEAVINGFOR THE MAYO CLINIC IN"ROCHESTER" MINNESOTA AT THEBEGINNING OF JUNE.COMPLICATING THE PROCEDURE...RUEHLMAN HAS A SECOND RAREDIAGNOSIS....AN AUTO IMMUNEDISEASE.THE SURGERY COULD'VEBEEN FATAL...GIVEN THECIRCUMSTANCES.(Debra Ruehlman Wife) "Wenever thought this day wouldcome we really didn't .

Therewere so many times during thecourse of this transplantprocedure that either itwasn't going to happen or hecould've died and he knewth.

AtHe's always gottenthrough everything.

Hesoldiered through , but thisone we thought was going to beit..

"DOCTORS NICKNAMED"RUEHLMAN"THE "UNICORN" -BECAUSE IT WAS THE FIRST TIMETHEY PERFORMED A TRANSPLANT ONSOMEONE WITH THOSE TWO RAREDISEASES.