The freakish knee injury that ended New York Yankees closer Mariano Rivera’s season happened on May 3 in Kansas City.

That’s 40 days ago. He was unable to have surgery to repair his torn ACL due to blood clot issues. That is, until now:

Mariano Rivera’s surgery went well, they repaired the torn ACL.

— Daniel Barbarisi (@DanBarbarisi) June 12, 2012

Rivera is, of course, 42 years old and rehabbing an injury of this nature is a rough thing for a younger man. However, Rivera has shown determination throughout his major league career. He went on record almost immediately after the injury as saying he’d come back, that he didn’t want his career to end that way.

It won’t be an easy task, but if anyone can do it, Rivera can do it. I’d fully expect to see him in uniform for the Yankees on Opening Day 2013.

For more on the Yankees, please visit Pinstripe Alley and SB Nation New York.