TOLEDO, Ohio — Pulling into a driveway full of family, friends and Toledo police officers waiting and cheering, 25-year-old Marcus Hartford is finally back home after battling COVID-19 in the hospital for seven months.
"It just feels crazy right now that I've been away this long and now I'm home," Hartford said.
Hartford's mother, Janelle Janatowski, said the feeling of seeing her son back home is surreal, calling it the best day of her life. "We pulled in the driveway and it's like, it's really happening. He's really home and everyone's really here."
She said she and her son could not have done this without all this support.
That support includes 25-year-old Molly Chapol and her mom, who drove four hours to welcome him home.
Molly is also recovering after a long battle with COVID-19, nearly identical to Marcus. It's something that has created an instant bond between the two and their moms.
"The thing is, COVID is so new that you don't have a lot to relate to unless you have someone going through the same thing and our stories are so similar. It was an instant bond," Chapol said.
Hartford said he knows it could have been worse, but today he's just grateful to be alive and do the things he loves.
"Just to everyone you know, just you have to stay strong through the hard times and it is possible with your loved ones around you to get through anything," Hartford said.
Marcus is known for his cooking and his family said they're grateful to have him home just in time for the holidays.