A 100-year-old Marine Corps veteran is doing well after being hospitalized with COVID-19.
Earlier this year, centenarian John Henry Chaney was taken to the hospital after his daughter, Mary Johnson, noticed something was off, Fox 35 Orlando reported.
“He was having an issue with shortness of breath,” Johnson said. “When his temperature spiked 99.9 I said, ok we have to go to the hospital.”
Chaney was immediately admitted at the Oviedo Medical Center, just outside of Orlando, Florida, in March. While Chaney said the hospital initially told him that he had pneumonia, he later tested positive for COVID-19.
“I would have never thought that I would have anything like that,” Chaney said.
Following the diagnosis, Chaney was not allowed to have any visitors. He communicated with his 15 children, 38 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren by sending them videos with his cellphone.
“That’s the first time we’ve ever been apart since he’s been living with me since my mom passed away,” his daughter said.
Reportedly, Chaney was on oxygen and other treatments for just three days. He was ultimately able to finish recovering at home.
“I am blessed,” Chaney said. “The good Lord has taken care of me for something.”
According to the Center for Disease Control, COVID-19 mortality is higher in people with underlying medical conditions and in people over the age of 85. As of August 13, there have been 5.1 million total cases and 165,148 total deaths from COVID-19 in the United States. Eighty percent of COVID-19 deaths reported in the United States have been in adults aged 65 and older.
This isn’t the first time Chaney has shown he’s a survivor. He served in the Marine Corps in World War II during the Battle of Iwo Jima. He also survived a cancer diagnosis.
Although Chaney is 100 years old, he still likes to ride his bicycle every day.
“I feel like I’m about 60 years old,” Chaney said. “I feel great every day. The only thing I do is ride that bike and walk and look at the news. I like to know what’s going on in the world.”
Five months after battling the odds during his fight with COVID-19, Chaney is back on his bike and is doing well.
“He rides that bike every day,” Johnson said.
