LANSING, Mich. — After being stuck in the hospital on a ventilator and battling COVID since March, Pedro Gonzalez is back home with his family.
"I actually wasn't really able to talk to them or anything. I was so weak that I couldn't even like hold my phone out to like FaceTime with them or anything," said Gonzalez.
Pedro went to the hospital on March 19 after having complications breathing, which later became more severe.
"He went into the emergency room first, and then they switch him to the ICU a couple days later," said his brother Rafael Gonzalez.
While Pedro Gonzalez was in the hospital, his community raised more than $13,000 for him on GoFundMe to help with his medical expenses. He said he's grateful for all the love and support.
COVID wasn't the only struggle Gonzalez was worried about. He said he couldn't stop thinking about his family.
"I wasn't so much concerned about me, it was more like my family, what they had to deal with and what they were going through, you know, with all the bad news, and everything. But from my point of view, I guess it was very lonely," he said.
On April 26, Rafael said, his brother was transferred to Sparrow for rehab, and then, on May 20, he was transferred to Mary Free Bed.
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Once his doctor gives him the clear, Gonzalez said he's going to get the vaccine.
"You learn to appreciate your family, you don't want to take moments for granted anymore. And it just shows how fragile life is," said Rafael Gonzalez.
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