And he left to cheers and a parade of emergency vehicles.

Doug Galer is finally back home after a months-long battle with COVID-19.

He's a lieutenant with the Otsego Co. Fire Department; back in March, Galer and several other members of the local EMS tested positive for coronavirus. Doug, along with a few of his coworkers, ended up in the hospital.

Doug Fopma (yes, a different Doug) was also one of the EMS workers who was just recently released from the hospital in Grayling. He was part of our "good news" back in May; of course, we were wondering, "What's up with Uncle Doug?"

I call him "Uncle Doug" because he is, in fact, the uncle of one of our coworkers in Grand Rapids. She's been posting Facebook updates about "Uncle Doug" for the last few months, and we've all been following his story with fingers crossed. He had been on a ventilator and fed through a feeding tube and done extensive physical therapy.

Finally, last Thursday, Uncle Doug left the hospital and was escorted home by a parade of emergency vehicles.

This made me SO HAPPY, not just for my coworker, but for her entire family. I've followed this journey on social media since day one; I also felt like it was important to follow it because I, luckily, don't have any family members with coronavirus. But I knew that it's important to relate to other people who are struggling; if you wear mask for just ONE REASON, do it for Uncle Doug.

Enter your number to get our free mobile app

 

Stars Who Were Tested for the Coronavirus

 

More From Cars 108