Dallas man who had coronavirus credits Medical City Plano with saving his life

A UNT Dallas business student was released from Medical City Plano this week after beating COVID-19, according to published reports.

Christopher Marshall, 37, of Dallas, told KXAS-TV (NBC5) that he first started feeling ill in mid-March. Tests came back positive for influenza B and later COVID-19, according to the report. He was first taken to another Dallas hospital, where he was given the antimalarial drug hydroxychloroquine as a treatment.

His health declined, he went into a coma and was flown to Medical City Plano.

“They saved my life,“ Marshall told the television station.

His treatment included an ECMO machine, which pumps blood out of the body and adds oxygen to it to ease the strain on the heart and lungs. Few hospitals have the device, according to NBC5.

Marshall woke up from the coma on his 37th birthday.

“He was discharged after 12 days on a ventilator, six days on ECMO and a total of 17 days at Medical City Plano,” the caption on a Medical City Plano YouTube video states. “We are overjoyed to see Christopher return home to his loved ones.”

The video shows medical staff lining the hallway and clapping and cheering as Marshall was discharged.

“I love them people so much. I love them for everything they’ve done for me,” Marshall told the TV station. “They truly saved my life.”

Marshall reported that he did not know where he contracted COVID-19.

As of April 17, the city of Plano reported having 151 confirmed cases of the coronavirus and one death. In Collin County, there had been 521 confirmed cases in Collin County and 12 deaths.