‘Don’t take anything for granted’: Man home after 64 days in hospital with COVID-19

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    Roseville, California (KCRA) — The Levin family is happy to be back together. Dave Levin was discharged from the hospital this week after spending 64 days there due to COVID-19 related illnesses.

In December, Levin thought he was having another asthma attack.

“I just took my regular medication. That seemed to control it and I went about my day and the next day it happened again, got worse. Then on Friday, I started getting an all-body pain,” he said.

But the pain didn’t get better, he said.

The family quickly learned that the lung altering, body crippling pain was related COVID-19.

Dave, his wife Deborah and their two sons all tested positive for the virus.

“I wanted an answer because I’m a mom, and like, how did we get this?” Deborah said of her thoughts at the time. “I was very very worried.”

While Dave was in the hospital, the college sweethearts could only communicate through the hospital’s video.

It was a dire situation with an uncertain outcome. Things took a turn for the worst on Dec. 26.

“I got a call from his doctor. He said that Dave’s heart was giving out and they had to rush him to ICU to go on a ventilator. They intubated him and they didn’t know if he was going to make it. It was that bad,” Deborah told KCRA 3, through tears.

Dave wound spend 64 days in the hospital. He spent time in the ICU and on the ventilator.

On Jan. 8, the day of their 27th wedding anniversary, Deborah got promising news.

“He squeezed the doctor’s hand. That was a good day. That was a great anniversary present,” she said fighting back tears.

Dave lost more than 50 pounds and would eventually have to re-learn how to walk, talk and eat.

“Don’t take anything for granted and every day is truly, truly a blessing,” Deborah said.

Dave told KCRA 3 no one he came in contact with outside of his immediate family tested positive, so he has no idea how he contracted the virus.

This weekend, the family is planning a drive-by welcome home celebration.

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