Ruben Gonzalez of East Los Angeles said he’s “very lucky” to be alive after a bout with a severe form of COVID-19 earlier this year.
Gonzalez, 51, said once he got sick in January, his wife insisted on taking him to the hospital, and if he’d waited another day to get care, his doctors don’t believe he would have made it.
“If it wasn’t for her, I could’ve died at home or died driving to the hospital,” Gonzalez said.
He spent three months in the intensive care unit, and Gonzalez said his family — including his son who died on Christmas Eve — kept him going.
“I know that he was up there, watching down on me and giving me the strength every minute, every second, every day, to get better and come home to my family. I know it was him, and I thank him for that,” Gonzalez said.
Though he’s now at home recovering, Gonzalez is still unable to return to work due to the damage to his lungs.
A GoFundMe has been set up to help Gonzalez and his family.
Gonzalez also had a message for everyone who is not yet vaccinated against COVID-19.
“Please, please go out and get your shot, because this COVID is not a joke. It’s not a game,” Gonzalez said.