20 Yr Old COVID-19 Patient Leaves Local Hospital: Tell Me Something Good

20-year-old Talia Kalisiak spent several weeks on a ventilator in the intensive care unit of Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center battling COVID-19.

She's finally out of danger, off the ventilator and breathing on her own.

WGRZ-TV tells us when discharged from Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center this week she left with a special farewell.

It was a well-deserved celebration of sorts for Talia, who had been in the hospital since November.

"Their nickname for her was miracle. She is their miracle patient who they were able to help get through all of it," said Talia's mother Heather.

"She knew that it was good for them to be able to see that she was going to make it and move onto the next phase of her recovery. A lot of (the tears) were for the people at the hospital who helped her through it," added Heather.

In total nearly 100 nurses, doctors and hospital staff lined the halls to wish Talia goodbye and good luck in her recovery.

It was a special moment for all involved...from the staff, some of whom took care of Talia to her family and friends.,

"This is always great to see somebody walk out of here after struggling through the ravages of COVID. Just to see her walk out and see the emotions has been great. The care she received from our respiratory nurses and the whole team was absolutely fantastic but we're a family here and that's what we do," said Alexander Collichio, vice president of Human Resources at the hospital.

She will now spend some time at a rehab facility to help he regain her strength.