Here & Now

Skeptical Crawford County Man Almost County's First Fatality

Frederica Freyberg:

Tonight we share the story of a COVID-19 survivor. A Crawford County man who never thought it would affect him. He’s a skeptic no more. As Trevor Keller reports, he’s now telling his story.

Trevor Keller:

When the COVID-19 pandemic began, Craig Bell wasn’t worried.

Craig Bell:

And I’ll be honest with you. I thought boy, this thing is just getting blown out of proportion. I’m like everybody else. I thought, this stuff ain’t coming here.

Trevor Keller:

“Here” is Eastman, a small town of 400 in Crawford County. Bell is a 59-year-old mail carrier. In April he nearly became a COVID fatality.

Craig Bell:

I was getting a fever and my head was out of sorts.

Trevor Keller:

He says it took two trips to urgent care to get a COVID test, which turned out positive. He was taken to Mayo Clinic in La Crosse, where he’d spend eight days in a coma with a breathing tube.

Mike Harrison:

He was breathing close to 40 times a minute, which is exhausting. It’s not something people will do for very long.

Craig Bell:

They said this isn’t looking good at all. He’s basically — he’s ready for the — he’s ready for the graveyard here.

Mike Harrison:

During that time period, his kidneys stopped working and we had to start him on dialysis.

Trevor Keller:

Bell’s wife, Julie, was told by doctors to expect the worst, but she wasn’t allowed to visit the hospital.

Craig Bell:

If he’s going to be gone, I’d like to say goodbye to him. And they said, we can’t let you do that, but we promise that we’ll make sure that he goes, you know — he won’t feel pain and he’ll go easy.

Trevor Keller:

Bell’s condition improved on days seven and eight and he was brought out of the coma. He’d spend two weeks in the hospital.

Mike Harrison:

The odds were stacked against him. So I’m very surprised, very happy that we’ve had the outcome that we’ve had.

Julie Bell:

It’s a beautiful day in Eastman. It’s a great day to be alive.

Trevor Keller:

Bell still goes to kidney dialysis three times a week and doctors hope for a full recovery. Bell says he’s feeling better and that people should take the virus seriously. His wife described their experience as, “hell.”

Craig Bell:

I don’t have one word to describe it other than — it’s hell. My wife’s got it right. It’s hell.

Trevor Keller:

For “Here & Now,” I’m Trevor Keller.