Michigan First Responder Survives COVID-19 – The Good News
He went home from the hospital in Grayling yesterday after a month-long battle.
An Ostego County EMS worker is home today after being admitted to Munson Grayling Hospital on March 28th.
Yes, you read that right - he's been in the hospital for over a month. One of the doctors told 9&10 News that they've never had a patient as sick as Doug Fopma.
Otsego County EMS Chief Jon Deming said that their department had eight sick workers on their team, so it's been a "rollercoaster."
Doug was on a ventilator and it wasn't looking good - his family was called in to say their goodbyes. His partner, Stacy, told him to fight...even though she knew that this might be the end. Later that evening, the nurses called and told Stacy that they were not giving up on him.
After 47 days in the hospital and three full weeks on a ventilator, Doug was released yesterday...and everybody was waiting for him.
He'll be headed for rehabilitation downstate; his coworkers will be escorting him.
This story hit home for us at Townsquare Media; follow me on this: Doug is actually the coworker of one of our coworker's uncle, whose name is also Doug. Doug and Doug were admitted around the same time; our coworker's uncle is still in the same hospital. He was in a coma for a while; he's now in speech therapy.
And this is EXACTLY why we're having a flyover today from the Air National Guard - first responders, healthcare workers and those on the front lines. Thank you.