SOUTHWEST MIAMI-DADE, FLA. (WSVN) - A South Florida man continues to beat the odds, as he celebrates yet another trip around the sun, years after he fought a tough battle against COVID-19.
James Gardner is currently in great health, and on Saturday afternoon, he celebrated his 80th birthday in Southwest Miami-Dade surrounded by family, friends, local officials and the frontline workers who nursed him back to health back in 2020.
“I’m great, I’m great. I feel great,” he said. “I beat the odds.”
Jackson South Medical Center staff hugged Gardner and became emotional as they shared moments with the coronavirus survivor.
7News covered his heartbreaking story as he suffered from the virus three years ago.
His wife, Maggie Gross-Gardner, said he had an underlying health condition that worsened his symptoms.
At one point, Gardner was placed in the intensive care unit for a few weeks.
“I don’t think – I think they were only going to put me on the ventilator, and that was it, and one of the nurses said, ‘You know, your chances of survival, for survival is zero to one,'” he said. “I’m one of those cases where, when you look at it, what is my reason? I’m here.”
After a few weeks, Gardner was on the path to a full recovery. Now he says he’s feeling great — walking two to three miles every day.
“We have beat all odds. We have beat the odds. When you say ‘beat the odds,’ we have beat every odd there is,” he said.
“There is no feeling that I can explain the way I feel right now, because I’m so grateful to Jackson South, their staff, for what they did for my husband, to make him be able to see this 80th year birthday,” said Gross-Gardner.
Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava also made an appearance for the special occasion.
“Well, I am here because Mr. Gardner is an extraordinary man, and he is a living legend in this community, and he also is a survivor,” she said.
Also on hand was pulmonary critical care physician Andrew Pastewski.
“Because we just didn’t like seeing all these people dying, and to see one of our cases thrive like this, I mean, this is why we do what we do,” he said. “This is why, when we were 16, we said we wanted to be a doctor.”
Levine Cava gave Gardner a special proclamation for his 80th birthday, as he was celebrated by the people who kept him alive.
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