‘Thank you for everything’: Oklahoma man battling COVID-19 texts mom before going into coma

OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – A 28-year-old Oklahoma man remains hooked up to machines in an intensive care unit after testing positive for COVID-19.

Daniel Welch has been at the mercy of the coronavirus in a medically induced coma for weeks now.

“No parent should have to go through this,” Kathy Prater, Daniel’s mom, said.

Kathy says she first got sick about a month ago. Within days, her two sons also tested positive for COVID-19. However, Kathy and her youngest son, 25-year-old Zach, were able to recover from the sickness in their home in Moore.

“As I got better, my oldest got worse,” Kathy said.

Daniel’s oxygen levels dropped fast, so his family rushed him to the ER in Norman.

At first, Daniel was alert enough to have his phone, texting his mom “I love you” and “thank you for everything.”

“Before they did his chest tube, he held up his hands in a heart for us,” Kathy said.

Then, the texts and the calls stopped.

Each day passed and Daniel’s breathing became more and more unbearable.

“I want to go and I want to hold his hand and tell him I love him, and you can’t do any of that,” Kathy added. “You never know if you get that second chance.”

Daniel, who is diabetic, was also diagnosed with pneumothorax, which means a hole developed in a lung that allows air to escape.