A boy battling a spinal cord tumor is on the road to recovery after he was released from Montefiore Medical Center Monday.

Aidan Fraser, 6, underwent a two-part, 18-hour surgery to remove part of the tumor that is crushing his spine and crippling his body. Doctors say it could be dangerous to completely remove the growth because it has important blood vessels to his brain. Doctors say the surgery is rare, so they can?t give an exact timetable for the boy?s recovery. However, they are impressed with the progress he?s made just three weeks after the operation.

Fraser will have to wear a halo brace around his head for a while and will have to be monitored for future tumors.