KFAN Producer Zach Halverson, Mother Hospitalized With COVID-19: 'It Squeezes The Life Out Of You'
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- The popular KFAN morning show "The Power Trip" has been broadcasting from home this past week after one of their own tested positive for COVID-19.
Zach Halverson, a producer on the show, is currently in the hospital, along with his mom, who's also battling the virus.
The 25-year-old was admitted on Friday with what doctors called severe symptoms.
"Felt like every oxygen in me was out of me," Halverson said.
He had been sick for about a week, diagnosed with the virus, experiencing fever and nausea. He thought he was getting better until he suddenly got worse.
"It was really concerning because I didn't know when the bottom was going to finally hit. I would say I aged about 100 years in a day on Friday, the first day I was here. It eats you to your core. It literally, it squeezes the life out of you," Halverson said.
He said he was too weak to get up on his own, or even reach for water. Doctors found a blood clot in Halverson's lungs, he got pneumonia, received convalescent plasma, and is on Remdesivir.
"They've put pretty much everything but the kitchen sink at me, so hopefully one of those things work," Halverson said.
His dad also tested positive for COVID-19. He's recovering at home. His mom was admitted to the hospital the same day with similar symptoms, and they're now being treated in the same room. The family doesn't know how they caught the virus.
"We're still trying to figure out why in the heck it hit so hard," Halverson said.
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Through it all, Halverson says the support has been tremendous, from friends and family to KFAN listeners. Halverson has a message in return.
"It is no joke, so stay safe out there, and do your best to avoid getting this," Halverson said.
There's a chance Halverson and his mom could head home later this week, but he was told his recovery will take time, require oxygen and at-home hospital care.
A GoFundMe has been set up to help the family, who was already impacted financially during the pandemic.
