Christmas feels more special to man hospitalized with severe COVID-19
Georgia man hospitalized with severe COVID-19 feels lucky to be home for Christmas
It's an extra special Christmas for many families this year, particularly those who were forced to spend the holiday apart due to COVID-19 last year. That was the case for the Scearce family, while one of their own was fighting for his life in the hospital during the holidays last year.
ATLANTA - It's an extra special Christmas for many families this year, particularly those who were forced to spend the holiday apart due to COVID-19 last year. That was the case for the Scearce family, while one of their own was fighting for his life in the hospital during the holidays last year.
Johnny Scearce had spent 94 days in the hospital when he was released in January. He has spent the entire year recovering from COVID-19, and each day he is thankful to be home.
"And having the opportunity to be here is a gift itself. I thank the good Lord above for that," Johnny Scearce said.
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This year maybe more than ever, Christmas is a blessing for Johnny and his wife Brenda.
"It was God, there's no doubt in my mind. He shouldn't be here," she remarked.
In September 2020, Johnny tested positive for COVID-19. He originally thought it was just a bad sinus infection, but soon he had to be hospitalized, and his health continued to decline. Ultimately, he was put on an ECMO machine in October, which aids the heart and lungs.
"The doctors came to us a few times and said you know we might need to consider making him comfortable. But what I couldn't wrap my head around is he played ball, he golfed, no underlying conditions, bowled, he was in everything. I kept thinking, it's just his lungs, it's just his lungs," Brenda Scearce said.
In December 2020, Johnny came off the ECMO machine. Then, more than three months of prayers were answered when Johnny was released from C.H.I. Memorial Hospital in Chattanooga and he was sent to a rehabilitation facility.
"I've always had that fight in my heart, and my soul, and my mind. But he's really strengthened me. I'm a fighter and I'm going to go down fighting," he said.
In the past 11 months, Johnny has continued to fight. He came home with severely diminished lung capacity, a large open wound, and he had to be on IV antibiotics. Since then, he's come a long way.
"I feel solid like I did before right. But I can tell I'm still not completely there. I try, I want to be back. It's just taken such a long time. I've never experienced this kind of length getting over an injury or an illness," he said.
He wants to be back on the job. Scearce has served as the Blue Ridge Police Chief for 30 years. He was reelected to the position while he was in the hospital last year.
While he continues to heal, he's grateful to be back home with his family, celebrating Christmas together.
"I thank God every day, I pray to God every day, every night. I thank him for life. I thank him for what he's done for me," he said.