Navajo man finally returns home after battling COVID-19 for three months
PHOENIX - A Navajo man is thankful to finally be going home after months of recovery. He is warning people to take the virus seriously.
"I'm very excited to go home because I miss home. I miss the people that I used to be around."
For nearly three months, Michael Bahe fought the coronavirus. It was back in April when he felt sick and got tested.
He says doctors diagnosed him with COVID pneumonia.
"From then on, I went into [a] coma and then I was sent down to St. Joseph's. And then I was there for quite a while."
Bahe was finally moved to a rehab center and on July 12, he finally returns home. He's grateful he survived through all his symptoms.
"It was something I didn't want to experience, just laying in bed not moving, and the respiratory. Sometimes you get a lot of coughing secretion, all that goes with it."
The Navajo Nation has reported nearly 400 COVID-related deaths. Nearly 65,000 have been tested with a little more than 8,000 positive cases.
A 57-hour weekend curfew remains in effect until Monday at 5 a.m. to prevent travel, but the stay-at-home order is still activated.
Bahe hopes Arizonans learn from his long road to recovery.
He lost 50 pounds during his battle, but he feels lucky to see his family again after all this time.
"Be serious about this COVID-19. Take it seriously. So wear your mask at all times, especially going places," Bahe said.
The Navajo Nation has also received more than $700 million from the CARES Act, which the nation's president wants to have to prepare for any potential second wave of cases.
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