FORT SMITH, Ark — Multiple members of an Arkansas family were recently diagnosed with COVID-19.
A young father, Zach Krueger, and his mother-in-law both ended up in the hospital.
The mother-in-law was able to go home, but Zach is now fighting for his life.
His wife, Katherine, finding courage in what she believes.
"God's been faithful to me before and I know that He will be again. Regardless of what the result of all of this is, I know that He is good and I've seen it before," she said.
Katherine Krueger is holding onto faith while her husband battles COVID-19 from his hospital bed.
"Just like waiting and trying to be patient and not being able to see your spouse when they're struggling so much is just incredibly painful," she said.
Her 34-year-old husband, Zach, has been in the hospital for nine days.
Katherine said he's spent the last five on a ventilator, fighting for his life.
"He's in a medically induced coma, his lungs are paralyzed, and the machines are doing all the work," she said.
Katherine described it as the hardest thing she's ever been through, but finds strength in her community.
"This would be such a different experience if I didn't feel so supported and so cared for," she said.
Her friends starting a GoFundMe, day of prayer, and even their own hashtag: #stacheforzach.
One of Zach's friends, Tyler Bjornson, said this idea came after Zach asked the nurse to keep a mustache when they had to shave off his beloved beard in the hospital.
"Community's important to anybody, no matter what you're involved with, but just the amount of people that, specifically, Zach and Katherine have touched and continue to touch. It's very easy to find a community around that," he said.
Tyler Bjornson and Christi Welter were both in Katherine and Zach's wedding.
Bjornson described the couple as "phenomenal together and genuinely good people."
"I think it's really so important that we all show support for her and Zach right now because they would both be there for any one of us in a heartbeat," Welter said.
Friends are calling out to the community to help the Krueger family in any way they can.
Bjornson said they are all remaining optimistic they'll see Zach bust a move at a wedding very soon.
"I know he'll make it and I know he'll push through and we'll be able to see all those glorious dance moves again soon," he said.