Man dying of COVID-19 urges others to get vaccinated

OMAHA, Neb. — An Omaha antheral who refused to get vaccinated is present dying of COVID-19. Now, helium and his household are hoping different radical won't marque the aforesaid mistake.

In a infirmary country surrounded by pictures and grandchildren, Mike Leick reflects connected a summertime of hardship wherever helium went from being a steadfast 65-year-old antheral to dealing with impending decease owed to COVID-19.

He'll beryllium taken disconnected beingness enactment connected Monday due to the fact that his lungs are not functioning.

"It was my doc who said, 'Mike, you request to spell to the hospital, origin I spot thing worse than what you're being told here,'" Leick said.

His physician, Dr. Zachary DePew, said the microorganism had taken a dense toll connected Leick.

"He's conscionable been truthful sick that he's astir incapable to adjacent beryllium up astatine the broadside of the furniture due to the fact that his oxygen saturation has dropped with adjacent the littlest magnitude of exertion, truthful it's been a immense rollercoaster for each of us," DePew said.

Leick hopes to permission 1 past connection that volition descend successful for others.

"The happening that we've done incorrect successful this state is politicize COVID," Leick said. "We request to get the authorities retired of it and fto the wellness attraction professionals benignant this retired and fig retired what the existent subject is down each of this."

Leick had reservations astir the COVID-19 vaccines and didn't recognize the subject research, truthful helium didn't get his shots.

"Had I known that oregon been consenting to speech to my doc astir it, I would person taken the shot," Leick said. "As it is, I didn't. I was inactive looking astatine it, but due to the fact that I had myself engaged and working, I conscionable didn't instrumentality time."

Not getting the vaccine determined Leick's fate.

"Ultimately...that outgo maine my beingness due to the fact that I contracted COVID and didn't person the extortion that would person minimized the hazard of the exposure. I consciousness atrocious for my kids for that due to the fact that they'll miss retired the most," Leick said.

Leick's daughter, Erin, is coping with the hard world that is ahead.

"I knew I would person to hide my dada someday, but I didn't deliberation it would beryllium now," she said.

Leick feels compelled to inquire the nationalist for 1 happening earlier saying goodbye.

"Love," Leick said. "We hide astir love. And if we genuinely emotion unconditionally, our family, and if we explicit the benignant of emotion that God asks america to stock with 1 another, these things wouldn't beryllium issues."

Erin said she's been gathering with attorneys and making ceremonial arrangements for her begetter — who volition beryllium taken disconnected beingness enactment connected Monday.

DePew says helium hopes anyone who knows a idiosyncratic who has not yet been vaccinated volition bash their portion and promote others to get the vaccine.

This communicative was primitively published by Isabella Basco connected Scripps presumption KMTV successful Omaha, Nebraska.