After weeks in ICU, COVID-19 survivor with serious underlying condition reunites with wife

METAIRIE, La. (WVUE) - A Metairie man with a serious underlying medical condition contracts COVID-19 and finds himself in the hospital on a ventilator.

He returned home Tuesday afternoon after spending weeks in the ICU.

"We're just glad that we have him home now. It's just awesome," Tara Reese said.

After more than two weeks apart, Reese was excited to finally reunite with her husband.

Louis Reese was admitted to the hospital after testing positive for COVID-19.

"It wasn't really the reunion that I had envisioned, just because security guards were around, and there were two people who were like manning this computer area," Tara Reese said.

She said he was put on a ventilator and sedated in the ICU.

“I couldn’t talk. The nurses would come in and talk to me, but there was no one to talk to. When I wake up, I’m in a dark room and I can’t move. It was a surreal experience the first few days,” Louis Reese said.

While fighting COVID-19, he was also fighting colon cancer.

“When I first dropped him off, and I was thinking he might not come home from this. We might not see him again,” Tara Reese said.

He served several tours in the Air Force, and his wife said she couldn't believe a virus would be his biggest challenge.

"You've been in countries that you know, are under attack, and then you're going to come home and be in the United States and you're going to die possibly of this virus," Tara Reese said.

She said his recovery was tumultuous.

“You’re down, you’re up, you’re down, you’re up. It’s just been like a roller coaster of emotions,” Tara Reese said. “I was scared to fall asleep because I wasn’t sure if I was going to wake up again because I felt so bad,” Louis Reese said.

They've received support from around the world.

"What a fighter I am, how courageous I am. You know, fighting cancer, beating coronavirus. You know, just lots of love and support, cause everybody's just happy that I made it through," Louis Reese said.

He said the first thing he wants is some homemade food.

“I’m a cheese lover, so lasagna, maybe baked ziti, I love cheese,” Louis Reese said.

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