>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> TONIGHT WE SHARE THE STORY OF
A COVID-19 SURVIVOR, A CRAWFORD
COUNTY MAN WHO NEVER THOUGHT IT
WOULD AFFECT HIM.
HE'S A SKEPTIC NO MORE.
AS TREVOR KELLER REPORTS, HE'S
NOW TELLING HIS STORY.
>> WHEN THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC
BEGAN, CRAIG BELL WASN'T
WORRIED.
>> AND I'LL BE HONEST WITH YOU.
I THOUGHT THIS THING IS JUST
GETTING BLOWN OUT OF PROPORTION.
I'M LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE.
I THOUGHT, THIS STUFF AIN'T
COMING HERE.
>> "HERE" IS EASTMAN, A SMALL
TOWN OF 400 IN CRAWFORD COUNTY.
BELL IS A 59-YEAR-OLD MAIL
CARRIER.
IN APRIL HE NEARLY BECAME A
COVID FATALITY.
>> I WAS GETTING A FEVER AND MY
HEAD WAS OUT OF SORTS.
>> IT TOOK TWO TRIPS TO URGENT
CARE TO GET A COVID TEST, WHICH
TURNED OUT POSITIVE.
HE WAS TAKEN TO MAYO CLINIC IN
LA CROSSE, WHERE HE'D SPEND
EIGHT DAYS IN A COMA WITH A
BREATHING TUBE.
>> HE WAS BREATHING CLOSE TO 40
TIMES A MINUTE, WHICH IS
EXHAUSTING.
>> THEY SAID THIS ISN'T LOOKING
GOOD AT ALL.
HE'S BASICALLY -- HE'S READY FOR
THE -- HE'S READY FOR THE
GRAVEYARD HERE.
>> DURING THAT TIME PERIOD, HIS
KIDNEYS STOPPED WORKING AND WE
HAD TO START HIM ON DIALYSIS.
>> BELL'S WIFE JULIE WAS TOLD BY
DOCTORS TO EXPECT THE WORST, BUT
SHE WASN'T ALLOWED TO VISIT THE
HOSPITAL.
>> IF HE'S GOING TO BE GONE, I'D
LIKE TO SAY GOODBYE TO HIM.
AND THEY SAID, WE CAN'T LET YOU
DO THAT, BUT WE PROMISE THAT
WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT HE GOES,
YOU KNOW -- HE WON'T FEEL PAIN
AND HE'LL GO EASY.
>> BELL'S CONDITION IMPROVED ON
DAYS SEVEN AND EIGHT AND HE WAS
BROUGHT OUT OF THE COMA.
HE'D SPEND TWO WEEKS IN THE
HOSPITAL.
>> THE ODDS WERE STACKED AGAINST
HIM.
SO I'M VERY SURPRISED, VERY
HAPPY THAT WE'VE HAD THE OUTCOME
THAT WE'VE HAD.
>> IT'S A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN
EASTMAN.
IT'S A GREAT DAY TO BE ALIVE.
>> BELL STILL GOES TO KIDNEY
DIALYSIS THREE TIMES A WEEK AND
DOCTORS HOPE FOR A FULL
RECOVERY.
BELL SAYS HE'S FEELING BETTER
AND THAT PEOPLE SHOULD TAKE THE
VIRUS SERIOUSLY.
HIS WIFE DESCRIBED THEIR
EXPERIENCE AS, QUOTE, "HELL."
>> I DON'T HAVE ONE WORD TO
DESCRIBE IT OTHER THAN -- IT'S
HELL.
MY WIFE'S GOT IT RIGHT.
IT'S HELL.
>> FOR "HERE AND NOW," I'M
TREVOR KELLER.