Parents of law enforcement officer welcome son home after four month COVID-19 battle - KATV
Pine Bluff (KATV) — A law enforcement officer with the Jefferson County Sherriff's office returned home for the first time after a four-month battle with COVID-19.
Kaylon McDaniel is a 31-year-old veteran and current lieutenant with the Jefferson County Sherriff's Office. According to his parents, Marionette Crosby and Thomas McDaniel, he's been in the hospital since July 9. Thomas said although they live in Fort Worth, Texas, they've been living at their son's home since they got that call he tested positive for the virus.
Thomas said Kaylon started in the ICU at Jefferson Regional Medical Center in Pine Bluff then was airlifted to Baptist Health in late July. According to Thomas, he believes if his son were vaccinated he might not have been in the hospital at all, but he wasn't. He said in August at one point, doctors didn't believe Kaylon would stay alive. They told Thomas his son's heart stop and he was no longer breathing, but he was shortly revived. Thomas said Kaylon was temporarily put in a medically induced coma, suffered a heart attack, and was placed in the Baptist Health Rehab Institute.
"It's been tough, but we're getting through it, it's gonna be alright the Lord is with us, and we got him on our side," Thomas said.
Kaylon's mother, Marionette Crosby told KATV he is the youngest of four children. She said not being able to help her son has been an emotional challenge because it did not appear he would be coming home.
"It was like i couldn't reach out, I couldn't hold him, I couldn't feel him i couldn't touch him, i couldn't talk to him, I didn't know what to do, what to say. the only thing we could do is hold each other and started praying" Crosby said. "Tubes running out of his head, his chest, his throat, his legs it was terrifying to see that."
On Thursday, more than 50 law enforcement officers including the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office, Pine Bluff Police, White Hall Police, and many other agencies and first responders escorted Kaylon home. According to Kaylon's co-worker, Capt. Yohance Brunson, motorcade homecoming is usually for first responders who have died or fallen soldiers. He said Kaylon was surprised to see so many first responders supporting him. Brunson said many at the department who were not vaccinated witnessed Kaylon's condition and changed their minds about getting vaccinated.
"A lot of the guys that didn't get vaccinated they saw Kaylon's condition, a wave of those got vaccinated and understand the severity," Brunson said. "It really hit home when it's one of your own versus hearing a story on tv."
Thomas told KATV his son began speaking in full sentences three weeks ago, but Kaylon has a long road to recovery. He told Kaylon is vaccinated and at home resting, and they will stay in Pine Bluff until their son can return back to work.
According to Brunson, while Kaylon was in the hospital their department set up a GoFundMe page to help assist him with medical bills.
source: https://katv.com/news/local/parents-of-law-enforcement-officer-welcome-son-home-after-four-month-covid-19-battle
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