Florida couple and son, 6, recovering from COVID-19

GAINESVILLE, Fla. - For Tallahassee residents, Trent and Irish Porter, 2020 may be the most unforgettable year that they would give anything to forget.

After years of heart problems, Trent’s doctors told him he would need to have a heart transplant. Through the early months of this year, Trent was in the hospital waiting and waiting for a matching donor. While waiting, Trent and Irish learned his kidneys were failing as well.

In February, at UF Health Hospital in Gainesville, Trent got word that a heart and kidney were available, and on February 28, he got a new heart; a day later, he got a new kidney.

His recovery was going well, then Irish began feeling ill. She says it started in her back and quickly spread to aches all over. Her temperature spiked.  She had been infected with the COVID–19. Then, Trent went to the hospital for a routine post-surgery checkup. He learned he too was infected.

Doctors put Trent in a medically-induced coma to protect his new organs. Meanwhile, Irish stayed home to take care of the couple’s six-year-old son. Doctors believe he had been infected as well and worked round the clock on Trent. 

Trent responded to the treatment. He survived a heart and kidney transplant and the coronavirus. Irish and the couple’s son also recovered.

Now they are all cautiously looking for a happier and healthier rest of the year. They say they are very thankful to all the doctors and nurses working the front lines to save lives. They say without them, their whole family could have been wiped out.