CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- Chicago’s beloved “Tamale Guy” has been released from the hospital after more than a month with COVID-19.
Staff at Rush University Medical Center gave the Tamale Guy, Claudio Velez, a rousing send-off.
Through his mask, he repeatedly said, thank you.
“Our COVID patients, for the most part, have been our sickest patients lately,” Jenny Glazer, a medical ICU nurse at Rush who cared for Velez told the Tribune. He spent three weeks in ICU. “I was one of the many, many nurses who took care of him. It really requires a huge team effort to care for these patients.”
The 55-year-old Velez was hospitalized in late August and placed on a ventilator in the intensive care unit.
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Just two weeks before he was hospitalized he made news, opening the Tamale Guy Restaurant in the Ukranian Village neighborhood, where people lined up for blocks for his tamales that have long been served to late-night bar patrons.
“I’m not the only nurse who had his tamales out at night,” Glazer said. “We were all reminiscing about how delicious they were, and also how heartbreaking it was, because he just opened up his restaurant.”
People contributed nearly $60,000 to an online fundraiser for his care. According to the Tribune, his family had planned to close the fundraiser, but decided to keep it open until Velez could decide for himself as his condition improved.
The restaurant closed for more than a week. All staff tested negative for the coronavirus. They cleaned and disinfected the space according to city guidelines before reopening.
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According to the Tribune, Velez will receive home care from his family with occasional visits from medical technicians.
Chicago ‘Tamale Guy’ Claudio Velez discharged from hospital after more than a month due to COVID-19