Gary Solomon

Gary Solomon is an active member of his community where he works as a pastor in youth ministries. He lives a fulfilling life with his wife, Julie, and their three adult children. They enjoy each other’s company at family dinners and like to say they are “living the good life.”

With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Gary’s life took a turn. He contracted the virus in October, and after seven days of self-quarantining, he saw no improvement. He was brought to the local hospital and was admitted to the ICU. After spending several weeks on a ventilator, he slowly started to see improvements.

As Gary improved, he was transferred to Vibra Hospital of Amarillo to continue healing. Once medically stable, Gary’s physicians recommended that he move forward with extensive rehabilitation. He then transferred to Vibra Rehabilitation Hospital of Amarillo. When he arrived, he was unable to eat a regular diet, couldn’t transfer, walk, or sit on the edge of the bed without assistance.

With exceptional nursing care and support, Gary was encouraged to work hard towards his goal. Motivated to return home with his family, Gary persevered and made great progress. He is now able to walk with a device, independently transfer, and complete daily activities on his own.

Recovering during COVID-19 can become extremely lonely. Gary was so grateful for the counseling services provided to him during his stay. Through his case manager, he was set up with an online COVID-19 recovery group to remind him he is not alone. “Being able to talk to someone about how I was feeling made me feel understood,” he explained. He looks forward to continuing his recovery with the support of his family around him.