A young man with special needs in St. Louis, Missouri, is being praised for winning his recent battle with the coronavirus.
When 18-year-old Tony Trimble tested positive for the virus on March 25, he became the first pediatric coronavirus patient at the St. Louis Children’s Hospital, according to KMOV.
Since that time, friends and family members have shown huge support for the teen, who also has Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS), a complex genetic disorder that affects a person’s appetite, growth, metabolism, cognitive function, and behavior.
Thursday, Tony was tested twice for the virus, and when his results came back negative, doctors decided it was time for him to go home.
Video footage showed the moment he left the hospital as nurses clapped and cheered.
“Way to go, bud!” one person said from behind the camera.
“Thank you guys, thank you so much!” his mom told the nurses as the two waved goodbye.
Saturday on the Prayers for Tony Trimble Facebook page, Carol Hof-Trimble wrote that she was grateful for the outpouring of support their family received while Tony was in the hospital.
“During an unthinkable situation your support is what got us through, especially during those darkest times,” she said.
Tony, who is a huge sports fan, also received numerous messages from athletes who wanted to encourage him as he battled the virus.
“I heard you were a really big fan and I really appreciate it,” Boston Celtics player Jayson Tatum said in a video.
“And right now, I, myself and a bunch of other people are rooting for you to stay strong and keep fighting during this difficult time,” he commented.
Now that he is back home, Hof-Trimble said she hopes Tony’s story will inspire other coronavirus patients not to give up.
“We will continue to pray for all the warriors fighting this fight and wish that Tony can provide some hope for others,” she wrote.
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