Ricky was admitted to the ICU in critical condition on August 31st. He was intubated and placed into a medical coma immediately and has been contingent to fighting. Battling ARDS (Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome: severe lung injury that occurs when the body's immune system overreacts to the virus, leading to fluid accumulation in the air sacs of the lungs) caused by COVID-19, he coded 5 times but has fought his way to come back each time. After 6 weeks on a breathing tube was stable enough to endure a tracheostomy. Currently in critical but semi stable condition has enabled him to lower medications to allow for minimal interactions with his family, responding with fluttering eyes at the sound of his children's voices and small puckering of the lips when his wife tells him, "I love you". There is a life-changing road ahead of us but we continue to fight for it each day.