Husband battles COVID in hospital for nine months before coming home

A Southwest Florida family is now celebrating after one family member comes home from the hospital. A man spent nine months battling COVID-19, beat the odds and now has an emotional homecoming. His wife was by his side during the entire journey.

Doctors and nurses say they’ve been reminded of mortality throughout this pandemic but on Thursday they were able to celebrate life. Health care staff lined the walls of Gulf Coast Medical Center to cheer for Albert Chiki. He won his battle against COVID-19, survived a stroke and now is back home with his wife after nine long months in the hospital.

The round of applause for Chiki is rare. He ended up in a wheelchair but doctors say most people who are put on ventilators often don’t go back home. Gina Chiki is Albert’s wife.

“This is definitely truly a miracle to have him come home,” she said, through tears. “Because I’ve been told to pull the plug and I never thought he’d make it.”

Gina married her husband, Albert, 40 years ago and for 39 of them, everything was great. But, back in January, he contracted COVID-19 and then went to the hospital. That’s when things got worse.

“I had a stroke. In the beginning. I had the virus twice,” Albert said.

Albert spent a couple of weeks on a ventilator and the rest of his nine months, he spent hooked up to many other machines. WINK News asked Albert what the absolute worst part of his stay was. “Not being able to walk. Not being able to stand. Being incapacitated,” he said.

He admits that he was worried that he wouldn’t survive his stay in the hospital. “Yeah. She said ‘they had to bring me back a couple times.’ They had to bring me back because before I realized it was going wrong. I don’t believe that it would happen to me… But the people here are fantastic,” said Albert.

Albert includes his wife in calling these people fantastic. She supported him, loved him and never gave up on him the entire time. “I missed her birthday., our anniversary, all the holidays. And… You sit laying in a bed all the time. Not too much to do except therapy,” said Albert.

For better or for worse, in sickness and in health Albert and Gina are living out their love story. And, it’s complete with a happy ending.

Albert says his plans for the rest of Thursday are to spend time with his wife and their dogs and to go get a Big Mac.