SAN ANTONIO, TX — A Texas man who fell ill with COVID-19 the week he was supposed to marry his fiancée was still able to say 'I do' thanks to a group of thoughtful hospital workers.
Carlos Muniz has been at Methodist Hospital battling COVID-19 for nearly a month.
"That was the most difficult part for me, was just letting him go into the E.R. And not knowing when I would see him again," said Grace Leimann, his wife. "Twice he had his lungs collapse. And so we almost lost him twice."
Carlos was set to marry his fiancée Grace last month, but then he got sick.
"He's a man full of faith. He's a man that is very giving, very loving and loves unconditionally," said Grace.
Carlos was placed on a life saving machine called ECMO.
After finding out about their engagement, hospital staff decided they wanted to do something special.
"We were trying to be creative to to get people and bring some life back into people and help them continue to fight through what is one of the worst hospitalizations I've ever seen," said Matt Holdridge, one of the registered nurses.
That creativity led to a wedding ceremony like no other.
Hospital staff and their immediate family surrounded the couple on the special day.
Carlos was even able to leave his room while on ECMO thanks to a team of hospital staff that was there to help.
It wasn't the wedding either of them imagined but they say it's something they're truly grateful for.
"It was a beautiful moment. And all I could see was him as I was walking down the aisle," said Grace. "It was a very great, great moment for me that I will treasure that memory forever."
It also lifted the spirits of hospital staff.
"It meant a lot to us because it was kind of a ray of sunshine. And what's been pretty dark period for us as a whole," said Matt.
Grace is thankful for the support and love the hospital staff has provided.
"We pray for you every day for the risk that you're taking to take care of our loved ones. Thank you," she said in a message to the hospital staff.
Carlos remains in the hospital and Grace says he has a long road to recovery.
But for now, the couple is holding on to the memories they made on their special day.
