Donnell Hunter’s street was lined with people whooping and hollering, holding signs of welcome and encouragement for him as he traveled home from the hospital in early March. After spending 550 days in the hospital for Covid, he was ready to be home.

In September 2020, before vaccines were readily available, Hunter became sick at work. When he didn’t have the energy or breath to get out of his car, his wife Ashley knew something was terribly wrong. Hunter arrived at the hospital and was diagnosed with Covid-19.

Hunter needed to spend months upon months on a ventilator, heavily sedated, due to the severity of his condition. During that time, he lost the use of his limbs and his ability to speak. His family visited when they could, but he missed them. “When I was in the hospital, I had many dreams that I was home,” Hunter shared when reflecting on the experience.

On March 5, 2022, Hunter was finally cleared to return home. At long last, he held his children and his wife and was able to embrace a brand new grandson who had been born while he was away.

Over the course of the 550 days Hunter spent recovering from Covid-19, he received exceptional care from providers at nine different hospitals. Every doctor, nurse, and health care professional played an integral part in Hunter’s recovery process, including re-learning how to eat, swallow, and speak. His journey isn’t over yet, but he is so grateful for all the support and care he has already received.

Donnell Hunter’s story is unique, but the kind of care he received was not. Health care providers are continually on the front lines, supporting us in some of our darkest days.

Members of this Coalition often share how a doctor’s visit or hospital stay was made better because of the care they received from a provider. Over the coming weeks and months, we hope to collect some of these stories to share the real-life impacts of compassionate and dedicated health care with our community.

Do you have a story about a time when a Hospital Hero guided you or a loved one through a tough time? We’d love to hear your story >> [[link removed]]

Welcome home, Donnell.

Coalition to Protect America's Health Care

protecthealthcare.org [[link removed]] | Unsubscribe [[link removed]] [link removed] [[link removed]] [link removed] [[link removed]]
P.O. Box 30211, Bethesda, MD 20824-0211