FARMINGTON, Conn. — Jeff Martindale’s nearly month long ordeal against Covid-19 appears to be over. The 47-year old from Farmington, who works at ESPN behind the scenes, came down with the Coronavirus in late March and ultimately found himself at nearby UConn Health.
“It really comes after you hard,” said Martindale via a Zoom call from his Farmington home. “My respiratory system and my fever within a day or two were spiking into levels you are not supposed to see.”
Martindale was on a ventilator for 15 days but began to make progress, he says, thanks to the team at UConn. “The nurses and doctors were fearless, “ said Martindale, “they came right in and did whatever was needed.”
Martindale now is serving as a symbol of hope for patients and front line workers at UConn — he is the first patient to emerge from the ICU who was on a ventilator that has overcome the virus and returned home. In a touching show of support, the UConn staffers lined up and celebrated with applause as Martindale was wheeled out of the ICU.
Deisy Velez, one of Martindale’s nurses at Uconn said to him via Zoom, “we’re so happy you are doing well, we would check on you every day.” Melissa Taylor, another Uconn nurse who tended to Martindale’s recovery added, “it was nice to see him leave the hospital and we are so happy for him and his family.” Additionally, Martindale made special mention of his wife, Chandra, who supported him through his entire fight versus Covid-19 and added a one more message to the staff at UConn Health. “I just feel very lucky, very blessed,”
Martindale said, “I just can’t thank you guys enough.”