>>>
>>> I
>>> I APPRECIATE THE QUICK FORECAST. FINALLY ON TODAY'S TOWN HALL,
WE WANT TO SHARE A STORY OF
SURVIVAL THAT WILL HOPEFULLY
OFFER INSPIRATION AMID THE
ONGOING COVID-19 PANDEMIC.
A LOT OF YOU HAVE MESSAGED ME
SAYING THAT WE SHOULD TALK MORE
ABOUT THE MANY PEOPLE WHO HAVE
RECOVERED FROM THIS DISEASE.
WE HEAR YOU AND TONIGHT ONE'S
MAN'S JOURNEY THAT SHOULD GIVE
US HOPE, MICHAEL O'CONNOR FROM
KENMORE WAS A HEALTHY HUSBAND
AND FATHER OF TWO YOUNG BOYS. A
BIG BUFFALO BILLS FAN, YOU CAN
SEE.
HE HAS A BEDSIDE NURSE AT A
NURSING HOME AND WAS WORKING
LONG SHIFTS, HELPING CARE FOR
OTHERS.
IN EARLY APRIL, HE GOT REALLY
SICK AND TESTED POSITIVE FOR
COVID-19.
MICHAEL WAS RUSHED TO THE ER AT
KENMORE MERCY AND IMMEDIATELY
TRANSFERRED TO SAINT JOE'S
CAMPUS WHICH IS THE COVID ONLY
HOSPITAL.
SADLY, IT WASN'T LONG BEFORE
DOCTORS TOLD HIM HE WOULD HAVE
TO BE INTUBATED AND PLACED ON A
VENTILATOR.
HE WOULD STAY ON THAT MACHINE
FULLY SEDATED FOR 25 DAYS.
DURING THAT TIME, HIS WIFE AND
CHILDREN ALSO GOT SICK FROM THE
CORONAVIRUS AS THEY DEALT WITH
THE UNKNOWN.
WOULD MIKE SURVIVE THIS?
A SCARY THOUGHT.
HE DID AND AFTER 35 DAYS IN THE
ICU, ALMOST 40 DAYS TOTAL IN
THE HOSPITAL PLUS REHAB, HE IS
NOW BACK AT HOME WITH HIS
FAMILY.
I'VE RECENTLY TALKED WITH HIM
AND HIS WIFE, CATHERINE.
>> WHAT WAS IT LIKE WHEN YOU
STEPPED INTO YOUR HOUSE AFTER
SO WHAT?
>> IT WAS GOOD TO BE HOME.
IT IS GOOD TO BE HOME.
LIKE, I'M NOT THE ONE THAT
REALIZED THE SIGNIFICANCE OF
HOW SICK I WAS BECAUSE I WAS
ASLEEP THE WHOLE TIME.
YOU KNOW, MY WIFE AND MY MOTHER
AND MY FAMILY, THEY WERE THE
ONES THAT WERE WORRIED ABOUT ME
EVERY DAY WHILE I WAS KNOCKED
OUT ON SEDATIVES TO KEEP THE
VENT IN.
>> 80% OF PEOPLE WHO GO ON THE
VENTILATOR NEVER COME OFF.
DID YOU KNOW THAT COMING INTO
IT?
>> I KNEW THAT AND I REMEMBER
MAKING A STATEMENT ABOUT BEING
TRANSFERRED TO SAINT JOE'S AND
TEXTING MY WIFE, TELLING MY WIFE
THAT EVERYBODY IN THIS FACILITY
IS ON A VENTILATOR.
I DIDN'T TELL HER THAT 80% OF
THE PEOPLE DID NOT MAKE IT.
I DIDN'T WANT HER TO FREAK OUT.
I KNEW THE NUMBERS, THE
STATISTICS AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
IT WAS GRIM.
>> CATHERINE, WHAT HAS THIS
BEEN LIKE YOU FOR YOU AND OTHER
FAMILY MEMBERS?
>> JUST OVERWHELMING.
25 DAYS IS A LONG TIME.
HIS MOM, FROM THE MINUTE HE
WENT TO THE HOSPITAL SAID HE
WAS COMING UP.
SHE NEVER WAVERED FROM THAT.
SHE SAID I KNOW MY SON.
HE IS COMING OUT.
SHE WAS POSITIVE THE WHOLE TIME.
MY MOM, ALL OF THE FAMILY, THEY
STAYED POSITIVE.
THE NEGATIVE THOUGHTS KEPT
CREEPING IN ON ME THOUGH.
HOW MY GOING TO RAISE MY TWO
KIDS ALONE IF SOMETHING
HAPPENS?
JUST DEVASTATING.
EVERY DAY WAS, IT WAS JUST
DEVASTATING AND OVERWHELMING
FOR THOSE 25 DAYS. MY CHURCH,
YOU KNOW, ALL OF OUR FAMILY AND
FRIENDS, JUST OVERWHELMING THE
SENSE OF COMMUNITY AND JUST
GENUINELY KIND PEOPLE.
BUFFALO IS JUST REALLY AMAZING.
>> ON THAT NOTE, MIKE, I HAVE
SEEN THE OUTPOURING OF SUPPORT
FOR YOU FROM PARADES AND WELL-
WISHERS AND MESSAGES.
>> YOU HAVE A GREAT WIFE, TWO
BEAUTIFUL KIDS.
ALL I CAN SAY IS GOD BLESS YOU.
STAY TOUGH AND I KNOW YOU ARE
BUFFALO BILLS FAN.
YOU BETTER STAY A FAN. RIGHT
NOW, I'M PRAYING FOR YOU.
>> THAT MUST'VE BEEN
SURPRISING.
>> THAT WAS PRETTY AMAZING.
I WAS NOT EXPECTING THAT.
THE PARADE WAS SOMETHING.
ALL RIGHT.
I CAN SEE MY WIFE SETTING THAT
UP.
I GOT A MESSAGE FROM JIM KELLY.
WOW.
THIS IS INCREDIBLE.
I'M A BIG FOOTBALL FAN.
A LONGTIME SEASON TICKET
HOLDER.
>> WHAT WOULD YOUR MESSAGE BE
TWO PEOPLE AS THIS PANDEMIC
RAGES ON? YOUR MESSAGE THAT
THERE IS HOPE.
EVEN IF SOMEONE GETS THIS
DISEASE AND GETS A SEVERE CASE
OF IT THAT YOU GET BETTER?
>> I WOULD SAY NEVER GIVE UP
HOPE.
REACH OUT TO FAMILY AND FRIENDS
AND STAY POSITIVE.
I WOULD JUST, YOU KNOW, THE
DOCTORS, WE REALLY NEED TO THANK
THE DOCTORS AND STAFF AT THE
HOSPITAL.
ALL THE STAFF. THE CLEANING
STAFF, THE NURSES, THE DOCTORS.
THE THERAPISTS, THERE WAS AN
AMAZING TEAM OF STAFF THERE.
THE RNS FACE TIMED US EVERY
DAY.
MICHELLE BENNETT, SHE DIDN'T
TAKE A DAY OFF.
I WILL REMEMBER HER NAME
FOREVER.
ALL THE DOCTORS. ONE DOCTOR
DONATED HIS PLASMA. THAT COULD
HAVE SAVED HIS LIFE.
>> ANY FINAL THOUGHTS?
>> LIKE CATHERINE SAID, I WAS
CONVINCED THAT THERE WAS A HIGH
PROBABILITY THAT I WOULD
CONTRACT COVID.
AND MY SYMPTOMS WOULD BE MILD
OR NOT AT ALL.
AND HERE I AM WITH THE MOST
SERIOUS CASE YOU COULD HAVE AND
STILL MAKE IT.
MY FINAL THOUGHTS WOULD BE AS
HE CONTINUED TO START, LIKE, WE
ARE ABOUT TO GO INTO THE NEXT
PHASE WITH RESTAURANT OPENING
AND THINGS ARE LOOKING GOOD FOR
ALL THAT STUFF.
BUT STILL, USER PRECAUTIONS.
WASH YOUR HANDS AND SOCIAL
DISTANCING AND EVERYTHING THEY
ARE TELLING US TO DO.
BECAUSE I REALLY WOULDN'T WISH
THIS ON ANYBODY.
IT WAS TERRIBLE.
IT WAS TERRIBLE FOR ME.
IT WAS TERRIBLE FOR MY FAMILY.
I DIDN'T WANT TO SEE ANYBODY
ELSE HAVE TO GO THROUGH IT.
>> WE WISH YOU BOTH THE BEST AS
I KNOW YOU BOTH CONTINUE TO
RECOVER FROM THIS. STAY WELL
AND THANKS FOR TALKING TO US.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> THANK YOU VERY