SPRINGDALE, Ark — A Springdale healthcare professional has spent the last 26 days in a Little Rock ICU fighting for his life while a ventilator helps him breathe.
Seth Garner's sister-in-law Allison Lee said the virus hit him hard and fast.
"They're doing all they can right now to make sure he is stable but he's in very critical, critical condition right now," she said.
Lee said Garner's battle started back on Feb. 7.
"He just thought maybe he was tired because he had so many patients he was seeing," she said.
But it only took 24 hours for the Springdale healthcare professional to test positive for COVID-19. Then, instantly, the 47-year-old found himself as the patient.
After spending a couple of days on 100% oxygen at a hospital in Northwest Arkansas, Lee said Garner was flown to St. Vincent's where he's been in the ICU since Feb. 11.
"It's tough, I can't lie, it's tough," she said.
Garner was put on a ventilator after his third day in the ICU.
This past Saturday doctors began to see improvement in his lungs, according to Lee, but that good news didn't last too long when they tried to get him to breathe on his own.
"He went south and they had to re-intubate him and just kind of declining since then," she said.
A decline happening so fast that Lee said time is all the family has on their side.
"They say the success rate on being on a ventilator is low whenever you're down to this point. We're almost at 21 days and that's the hard part," she said.
Lee's sister, who's married to Garner, has spent the last several weeks in Little Rock. Those miles keeping them apart has been one of the most difficult parts.
"It's hard, and it's hard because I can't be there for her," she said.
Over the weekend, Lee said, Garner's three kids were able to see their dad for the very first time... connected to wires and machines.
"Now that the kids have seen his state and his well-being, they don't know if dad is going to come back," she said.
Despite what feels like a never-ending struggle, Lee said the family is holding onto hope.
"We always have faith. We're going to fight, we're going to continue to fight for him," she said.
Lee said the main reason she wanted to share her brother-in-law's story was to let other families, who are experiencing the same thing, know that they aren't alone.
Garner had not received his COVID-19 vaccine yet, since he owns his own practice and did not spend his days inside a hospital.
If you'd like to help the Garner family, you can donate to their GoFundMe here.