UpdatedMon, May 10, 2021 at 4:05 pm ET
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A fundraiser has been established for the Arriaga family as Ruben Arriaga Sr. is evaluated for a lung transplant. Arriaga spent 100 days at Valley Hospital fighting COVID-19, including 69 on a ventilator. (Courtesy Valley Health)
RIDGEWOOD, NJ The Arriaga family knew what COVID-19 was capable of, having lost a family member during the pandemic.
So when Ruben Arriaga Sr., of Saddle Brook, began gasping for air in January, the family called 911. The situation got worse when Arriaga was put on a ventilator on Feb. 5.
The family knew the unfortunate reality of what could follow, as Arriaga s brother died from COVID-19 just months earlier, according to News12.