Daughter speaks out after father contracts flesh-eating bacteria while crabbing in NJ
CAMDEN, N.J. (WTXF) - After crabbing in the Maurice River in New Jersey, 60-year-old Angel Perez has been hospitalized with a flesh-eating bacteria. His daughter was on Good Day Thursday morning to discuss his condition.
"He is day-by-day getting better, his spirits are still positive he has faith, he's praising God. He is being a jokester he's being humorous. He is still in a lot of pain," says Dilena Perez-Dilan the daughter of Angel Perez.
Perez-Dilan says her father had gone crabbing in that spot numerous times without any sign of illness or bacteria before.
"That's his spot to go. He goes early in the morning, he tries to beat everyone before they get there because that's his spot," she said.
Perez-Dilan said they first saw the swelling in his right ankle where Angle Perez had developed a few scratches on his leg. Angle was sore and after a while they took him to Urgent Care to be treated.
His current status and whether or not he will be able to keep his limbs is still a large concern for doctors and family members alike but Perez-Dilan remains optimistic.
"I think that we are starting to see him progress with his movements in his hands and his feet and his toes. We are trying to stay as positive as possible."
She also says there has been an immense amount of support from their whole family and the hospital for his recovery.
"Cooper Hospital has been so flexible and has been so supportive in allowing us to have as much family as we have. It's been like a reunion for something that is negative but it's something good," says Perez-Dilan.
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