Rock Hill man beats COVID-19 after being on ventilator for 16 days

ROCK HILL, S.C. — Ernest Rodriguez of Rock Hill worked out, exercised, and considered himself a healthy 65-year-old.

In late March, he and his wife traveled to south Florida, and he began feeling sick. He spiked a fever of 106 and had trouble breathing.

“I don’t even remember coming back here to Rock Hill. I don’t remember it. Crazy things were going on in my brain,” he said.

Channel 9 spoke to Rodriguez on Tuesday from his home through Skype. He said it’s a miracle he can speak to us at all.

“I came home, but I still feel like I’m the weakest person in the world right now,” he said.

Rodriguez spent 16 days at Piedmont Medical Center on a ventilator. He had COVID-19, and ended up in ICU.

His wife Antoinette, 63, also got sick. She came down with a cough, fever and shortness of breath, but only worried about her husband, who she was not allowed to visit.

“I was emotionally wrecked. I didn’t know if he was gonna come home to me, and that was the worst thing,” she said.

Ernest felt exactly the same about his wife of 40 years.

“I didn’t think I was coming home. I cried thinking I’m never gonna see her again. I’m never gonna talk to her,” he said.

>> Have questions about the coronavirus pandemic and its impact on the Carolinas? We have an entire section dedicated to coverage of the outbreak -- CLICK HERE FOR MORE.

Ernest said he was delirious at the hospital and was told he twice tried to pull the ventilator out of his throat. He felt even more isolated and alone because of the extreme precautions the doctors and nurses had to take to care for him.

“You never even see their faces. They’re covered in two or three layers of protective gear. They put on plastic every time they come in,” he said.

Yet, they were always there, around the clock. Ernest said he got wonderful care at Piedmont Medical Center, and wanted to thank the doctors and nurses who saved his life.

“They went beyond the call of duty to keep me alive, and they’re all my friends now,” he said. “Incredible, caring people.”

>> We’ll bring you LIVE updates on Channel 9 Eyewitness News. Get extended coverage on the free WSOC Now app on Roku, Amazon Fire and Apple TV.

The Rodriguez family said they wanted to speak up once Ernest was home from the hospital, to tell people this virus is serious, and can be life-threatening.

They urge people to stay home and protect themselves and their families as long as necessary.

Nursing home with more than 100 cases says it's doing everything it can to protect residents Nursing home with more than 100 cases says it's doing everything it can to protect residents

© 2020 Cox Media Group