Officer returns to Cooper University Hospital to give thanks to staff that helped him during COVID battle
NEW JERSEY -
A miraculous comeback that almost wasn’t. More than a year after becoming one of the first severe COVID-19 cases in the state of New Jersey, Manchester Township police officer Antonio Ellis returned to Cooper Hospital to thank his doctors and caregivers that saved his life.
"I am here standing in front of you now. Post 18 months out from this, back on the job in full-duty, serving my community, with my family because of everybody here, and what you continue to do is so very, very important," said Lt. Ellis.
He was unconscious for 30 days, spent 45 days in intensive care units, endured three cardiac arrests, and lost 40 pounds during his grueling hospital stay.
Lt. Ellis returned Monday with gifts of donuts and hugs to thank all the staff that cared for him. His wife, Carla, also going through a major hardship as her husband nearly lost his life on multiple occasions and she was unable to visit him in the hospital.
"We were on FaceTime while he was in a coma. They would prop up the iPad and I would talk to him and the kids would talk to him and that’s what we did for a few weeks," she explained.
She described the entire event as a very bad roller coaster ride.
Lt. Ellis is now back serving as a police officer full time and remains relatively healthy after fending off a deadly disease that shut down much of the world in 2020.
"If you have enough positive energy and you keep working hard, I’m telling you, you can beat this. You can get back to some semblance of normal life. My life is more fulfilled now than it ever was. I take into appreciation every day I have," said Lt. Ellis.
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