When Jeffrey, a 69-year-old father and grandfather, came home from work on April 8, 2020, he didn’t know that his life was about to change dramatically.
After working for over three decades in customer service at a construction company, Jeffrey had always been a pillar of strength. But that night, when he told his wife Lori he needed a nap — something very out of character — it became clear something was wrong.
When Jeffrey, a 69-year-old father and grandfather, came home from work on April 8, 2020, he didn’t know that his life was about to change dramatically.
After working for over three decades in customer service at a construction company, Jeffrey had always been a pillar of strength. But that night, when he told his wife Lori he needed a nap — something very out of character — it became clear something was wrong.
Over the next two days, Jeffrey grew weaker, had no appetite, and developed a fever.
A call to their family doctor came back with a suspicion of COVID-19, which was in its earliest wave and spreading rapidly. On Sunday, April 10th, Jeffrey was assessed in the Charlotte & Lewis Steinberg Emergency at North York General Hospital (NYGH) and sent home to quarantine with a presumption of the virus.
By Wednesday however, things took a drastic turn. “I don’t feel good, I can’t breathe,” Jeffrey told Lori. A short time later – in a moment that both Lori and Jeffrey recall as traumatizing, a team of paramedics arrived in hazmat suits and declared that Jeffrey needed medical intervention immediately.
That was the last time Lori saw her husband in person for nine weeks.
Having been brought to NYGH’s Emergency Department, Jeffrey was intubated, placed on a ventilator, and then transferred to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). He was in critical condition, and communication between the hospital and his family was limited due to the overwhelming number of cases. Despite the chaos of those early COVID days, Lori says she’ll never forget the hospital’s effort to keep the family informed, even if it was just through brief updates.
Of the many medical professionals they encountered, one stood out: Dr. Kevin Sanders, a Respirologist working in the ICU. Dr. Sanders became the family’s key point of contact, answering their many questions with openness and compassion, despite the incredible pressure he and his team were under.
Jeffrey spent three weeks in the ICU, battling for his life. After being taken off the ventilator, he briefly showed signs of recovery, but then his condition worsened again. “We were in a position to make decisions that nobody wants to make,” Lori recalls. That’s when Dr. Sanders made the call that would ultimately save Jeffrey’s life.
Through conversations with their son, who had a close friend working as an ICU nurse in New York, Lori was told about a treatment method called “proning”, a complex intervention that involves flipping a patient onto their stomach to improve oxygen flow to the lungs. It was a technique that, in the context of COVID, was still relatively untested, but when the family asked Dr. Sanders about it, he didn’t hesitate.
“Yes, we’re going to try that,” Dr. Sanders told the family, “We’re going to do everything we can to fight for him.” It was a decision that ended up making all the difference. Jeffrey, slowly but surely, began to improve.
Looking back now, four years later, Jeffrey is filled with gratitude. “When I met Dr. Sanders after I completed my rehabilitation, he simply said: ‘Our job was to save your life,’” Jeffrey recalls. “ I thought, ‘Wow, you did your job, now it’s my job to work hard on my recovery, and I’m going to do just that.”
Although it’s been a long road, with lingering physical and mental health challenges, Jeffrey feels incredibly lucky. He credits Dr. Sanders and the entire ICU team at NYGH with giving him a second chance at life. Today, he’s focused on spending time with his family, especially his 10-month-old grandson, who he calls his ‘reason to live.’
“When I recently tested positive for COVID-19 again, I panicked and called Dr. Sanders. I couldn’t believe that this busy doctor emailed me back right away, late at night, and reassured me.”
“I don’t hesitate to call him if I need help. I know he’s truly there for me and my family.”
Jeffrey says his journey is a testament to the incredible dedication of all healthcare workers who went above and beyond during the pandemic – each of them willingly putting their lives at risk during this period of immense uncertainty and distress.
“Dr. Sanders and the team at North York General Hospital saved my life,” Jeffrey says. “I am eternally grateful.”
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