'It's pretty damn scary': Former fire chief describes surviving serious case of COVID-19
EMT sons drive longtime firefighter to hospital after he collapses
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Updated: 11:36 AM EST Jan 30, 2021
Andy Hershberger
EMT sons drive longtime firefighter to hospital after he collapses
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Updated: 11:36 AM EST Jan 30, 2021
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CHIEF TOM SCHOFIELD SAYS HE WAS NOT SURE HE WAS EVER GOING TO WALK OUT OF THE HOSPITAL, AND HE CREDITS THE PEOPLE WHO WORK THERE FOR SAVING HIS LIFE. TOM SCHOFIELD SAYS HE WAS SI WITH COVID-19 FOR SEVERAL DAYS, BUT ON JANUARY 10, HE TOOK A DRASTIC TURN FOR THE WORSE. TOM: I STOOD UP FROM THE COUCH, AND I LITERALLY FELL OVER INTO THE CHRISTMAS TREE AND KNOCKED IT OVER, SO, AT THAT POINT, I GUESS, I WAS PRETTY WEAK ANDY: SCHOFIELD HAD BEEN A FIREFIGHTER FOR 30 YEARS AND WAS CHIEF IN LITCHFIELD UNTIL 2011. TWO OF HIS SONS ARE LONDONDERRY EMT’S, AND THEY CAME BY AMBULANCE TO TAKE HIM TO THE HOSPITAL. BRIAN: HE WAS ASHEN LOOKING, WEAK. COULD ONLY SPEAK ONE OR TWO WORDS BEFORE TAKING A DEEP BREATH. YOU TRY TO TREAT EVERYONE LIKE FAMILY, BUT IT’S MUCH DIFFERENT WHEN IT IS YOUR FAMILY. ANDY: TOM WAS TAKEN TO THE CATHOLIC MEDICAL CENTER, WHERE, AFTER JUST A FEW HOURS, HE WAS PUT ON A VENTILATOR. TOM: THAT’S WHEN THEY STARTED ASKING ME ALL THE QUESTIONS. "DO YOU WANT US TO TAKE EVERY STEP POSSIBLE TO KEEP YOU ALIVE?" AND "WHO’S IN CHARGE?" "WHO DO WE NOTIFY?" AND WHEN YOU START RATTLING OFF NAMES AND PHONE NUMBERS BETWEEN GASPING FOR AIR, IT’S PRETTY DAMN SCARY. ANDY: BUT AFTER 12 DAYS, TOM PULLED THROUGH. HE’S NOW HOME AND, WHILE STILL WEAK, IS ON THE MEND AND CREDITS THE BRAVERY OF THE HOSPITAL STAFF FOR SAVING HIS LIFE. TOM: THESE PEOPLE -- 12-HOUR SHIFTS, DRESSED LIKE THAT, WORKING THE WAY THEY DO WITH SUCH A POSITIVE, CARING ATTITUDE. FROM THE DOCTORS RIGHT ON DOWN. IT WAS THE BEST WORST EXPERIEN I EVER HAD, IF THAT MAKES ANY SENSE. ANDY: BRIAN SCHOFIELD SAYS HE HOPES HIS FATHER’S STORY REMINDS PEOPLE JUST HOW SERIOUS AND DANGEROUS THIS VIRUS CAN BE. REPORTING LIVE, I AM ANDY HERSHBERGER, WMUR NE