“I was hospitalized for 29 days and ventilated for 10. I had kidney failure, blood clots, a dangerous reaction to a blood thinner, and infections while I was in a coma for 3.5 weeks. My family prepared for my death, but God decided it wasn't my time to go.”

MIDDLE TOWN, RHODE ISLAND: I was one of the first patients with COVID at Newport Hospital in Rhode Island. I knew how serious it was when I went to the ER and crashed. As I went unconscious, I saw a white light and thought I was dying.

As I went unconscious, I saw a white light and thought I was dying.

I was hospitalized for 29 days and ventilated for 10. I had kidney failure, blood clots, a dangerous reaction to a blood thinner, and infections while I was in a coma for 3.5 weeks. My family prepared for my death. 

I was hospitalized for 29 days and ventilated for 10.

A team of doctors from all over the world met every morning and discussed my case because they didn't know what to do. I was an experiment. Doctors and nurses were afraid every day that if they took me off the ventilator, I wouldn't be able to breathe on my own or something else would go wrong and I would die.  After their shifts, on their way home, they would cry thinking that during the night I was going to die. 

they would cry thinking that during the night I was going to die. 

When I was in the coma, my wife had to be strong for everybody -- while fighting COVID herself. She relied on her faith and prayed a lot. Her faith and my mother's faith really inspired the whole family. My wife said that it would take a lifetime to tell me everything that happened and how many people were praying for me. Hundreds, maybe thousands, were praying for me. I think subconsciously I knew I was getting a lot of prayers. 

Hundreds, maybe thousands, were praying for me.

When I got up from the coma, it was like heaven on earth and such a sigh of relief for the people who had been praying and taking care of me. Most friends and family didn’t know anyone who had COVID.  It made it real. 

Most friends and family didn’t know anyone who had COVID.  It made it real. 

My recovery was rough and long, but I was determined to do it and maintain a positive attitude. Initially, they wanted me to go to a nursing home for rehab for two weeks. I refused to do it. I said I needed to go home to my family, which was the right decision. I was bedridden and had muscle atrophy. The day after I was discharged, I started with my physical therapy twice a week and had Zoom meetings with the doctors. I couldn't walk, so I had to use a walker. I tried to help my recovery with goals in mind. I started with some simple exercises on the bed and then walking down the hall which moved to walking without the walker. It was hard. But I wanted to recover soon, so if they told me to walk around the block once, I would do it twice.

if they told me to walk around the block once, I would do it twice.

They worried about mental disorders when I came out because I had hallucinations while in the coma and was not responsive when I came out of the coma at first. They thought I had a stroke or some neurological issues. Fortunately, I recovered from all of that too. I also went to a psychologist, to make sure that I didn't suffer from PTSD or anxiety.

I had hallucinations while in the coma

I will not say that I am fully recovered. I still don’t have the strength as before and I suffer from fatigue, which I think will go on for a long time. But, I don’t have any heart or lung conditions like many of the people who suffered from COVID. I got my smell and taste back. I might have some concentration issues, but it will be fine. If this is the worst, I can manage that. I am fortunate enough that I am alive and still have everything. 

The power of prayer is so powerful! You have to ask God for help! I learned that there are a lot of great people out there. Everybody has their own flaws and no one is perfect but when you are facing some difficult time and they get in your corner, they pray for you and they are behind you a hundred percent, you have to overlook the bad side of people and focus on their good side. 

I survived because of the incredible work done by the medical workers and thousands of prayers. God decided it wasn't my time to go. I guess I have more work to do here.

I survived because of the incredible work done by the medical workers and thousands of prayers.

Rich is 57 years old. He and his wife of 34 years, Laurie, have 3 fantastic children. He is a chemical engineer with a long career in the environmental business.

Read Rich’s story in his local newspaper, Providence Journal