Juan Silva of Whitman, Massachusetts, says it's a miracle he's still with us.
Silva was hospitalized for four months after being diagnosed with COVID-19.
"I just want to thank God that I'm alive today to be able to talk about it," said Silva.
It was back in April when Silva started having breathing problems, and his daughter, a doctor, told him to get to the emergency room.
"Forty minutes later, I was sent up to the ICU," said Silva.
Silva tested positive for coronavirus, and he was fading fast.
"Basically, he was going into what's called respiratory failure," said his daughter, Jacquelyn Silva. "His body was working so hard to breathe."
He was in an induced coma for two months.
His family thought his time might be up and pleaded with him to survive.
"I heard her voice, saying 'Come back to me, Dad, come back to me,'" he said.
Even though he was in a coma, the 58-year-old could feel it might be the end.
"I knew inside I was dying," he said. "That was the time where I was teetering right at the edge."
COVID-19 had impacted almost every organ.
"His kidneys failed," said his daughter. "His lungs failed, he was on a ventilator for 33 days."
Eventually, he started to make a comeback, moved to rehab, and was discharged in August — four months after the ordeal began.
Prior to COVID, he'd been incredibly active in wheelchair sports and he hopes he can play ball once again.
"This thing affects you, and when it does, it can kill you," he said.
