‘God is good. So is that doggone vaccine’: WRAL’s Gilbert Baez leaving hospital
WRAL TV reporter Gilbert Baez, hospitalized more than a week ago with COVID-19, is going home.
Baez let everyone know of his pending discharge from Cape Fear Valley Medical Center in Fayetteville through a Facebook Live video just before noon on Friday.
Baez, who is fully vaccinated, was admitted to the hospital last week and was in an isolated COVID-19 ward.
Baez talked about his ordeal in a video on Saturday, saying at the time that he was the only patient on the COVID-19 floor who was vaccinated, and the only patient who was not on oxygen or on a ventilator. Baez later had to use supplemental oxygen.
Baez was being treated with Remdesivir and was improving, and had hoped to leave the hospital this past Monday. But his oxygen levels were too low on Monday so he had to stay.
By Friday, things were much better, Baez said, and his discharge came through.
“God is good,” Baez said in another Facebook Live video. “So is that doggone vaccine.”
Baez still seemed to struggle a bit to catch his breath in the video, but noted that he had been off of oxygen since Thursday.
‘Eye of the Tiger’
Baez talked about his recovery efforts this past week, saying he asked the nurse to play “Eye of the Tiger,” the theme from the movie “Rocky III,” as he walked the halls of the hospital — a test to show that he was OK enough to go home.
Baez has previously said he believes he got COVID at his birthday party, which was attended by nine other vaccinated people. Six of the 10 people at his party got COVID, including his wife, and one other person from his party, a man in his 80s, was eventually hospitalized.
Baez said on Friday that he still has a “long fight” ahead to become healthy again. He said he entered the hospital weighing 205, but will leave it weighing 182.
He expressed his gratitude to everyone sending him messages of support, and to all of those who have helped him while sick, including doctors, nurses and housekeeping workers.
“I hope my journey has been motivational, educational,” Baez said.
The longtime WRAL reporter says it will be awhile before he’s back on air, but promises he will shave his beard before he returns.
“I’m a Ranger. Got to get that mustache back in regulation.”
This story was originally published September 3, 2021 at 1:04 PM with the headline "‘God is good. So is that doggone vaccine’: WRAL’s Gilbert Baez leaving hospital."
