Tonawanda, N.Y. (WBEN) - "I was defenseless. I just had to surrender," said Joe Emminger, Town of Tonawanda Supervisor, who completed 14 days of Coronavirus isolation in his bedroom.
Emminger's wife, Colleen, battled alongside her husband, outside his bedroom door. "I wouldn't have made it wihout her," he added. Emminger thinks she may have had the virus a month or two ago, now that she knows the symptoms.
Colleen Emminger was not only taking care of Joe, but their son Chris as well, who was isolated in another part of the house. Chris came out of isolation just ahead of Joe.
Emminger said from this day forward, he is praying for all those battling the virus. "My heart aches for all those who were not able to fight off the disease. Mothers, fathers, grandparents, brothers and sisters have been lost. My prayers go out to them," he said.
He doesn't think people are taking this seriously enough. "Someone reached out to me on social media and said I was exaggerating my case and I shouldn't be scaring people. But this is serious stuff and until you've gone through it, you shouldn't speak about it," he added.
Emminger said he is still weak and plans to remain quarantined in his house for another six to seven days.
