Oregon father returns home after 299-day battle with COVID

SANDY, Ore. (KATU) — A Sandy, Ore. family is cautiously celebrating as a husband and father leaves a Portland, Ore. hospital after battling COVID-19 for 299 days.

Providence hospital says 43-year-old Alejandro Castro and his three kids caught the virus in early December 2020.

Castro's children recovered, but he was hospitalized.

His case was so severe, a ventilator wasn't enough. Providence put him on an ECMO device, which works to provide oxygen and allows the lungs time to heal. Castro had to use it for 108 days.

Providence says that's the longest any of its patients have been on it. Castro's doctors say he was able to stay alert, instead of being sedated.

Our goal is to get you awake because one of the secondary benefits while we're letting those lungs heal is then you can strengthen the patient so [they're] more able to recover,” said Jason Wells, M.D., Alejandro’s critical care and ECMO doctor.

After ECMO, Castro spent nearly 200 days recovering.

Providence interviewed him before he left the hospital. He says he didn't believe in COVID before, but now he’s telling everyone to be careful.

Castro got sick before the vaccine was available, but he says he and his entire family are now vaccinated.