BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — A local man has returned home to his family following a four-month-long battle with COVID-19 that caused him to be put in a medically-induced coma.
Justin Reynolds is a 45-year-old plumber from Bakersfield who first took ill on April 22.
On Monday, family, friends and the community came together with banners, signs and full parade to welcome him home.
"It feels like a dream come true. It doesn't feel real. I don't think I slept last night, because it was his first night home and I was so afraid. But, he did so good and so well that," said Tallie Reynold,Justin's wife. "It's just an amazing miracle. We thank god, and all of our friends and family and everyone that has given us so much support and love. We just can't thank them enough, our community, everybody."
Justin was just released from Barlow Respiratory Hospital in Los Angeles where he has spent the last two months undergoing dialysis for kidney failure due to COVID-19.
Justin was quickly put into a medically-induced coma, surviving solely off a ventilator.
Hope seemed lost, but the family's prayers were finally answered in the form of a plasma donation. The antibodies from that donation, provided by an anonymous COVID-19 survivor, helped boost Justin's immune system just enough to breathe on his own.
Tallie said Justin's health is good though he still recovering and now in physical therapy.
The Reynolds family is encouraging everyone who has recovered from COVID-19 to look at Justin's story and donate convalescent plasma.
