It was a welcome home Maurice Land’s family wanted to share with the world.
After more than 100 days in the hospital, the 68-year-old Chicago man survived coronavirus, and was released from the Shirley Ryan Ability Lab. His family arranged for a white Rolls Royce to take him home.
"Thank God," a grateful Land cried as two nurses wheel him out of the rehabilitation center. "Thank God they are bringing me out of the hospital. I am thankful to the nurses and all my family."
Land came to Northwestern Hospital March 28 where he was placed on a ventilator. There were times doctors were worried he wouldn’t pull through.
"The doctors didn’t believe he would live until his birthday, which was June 9," Maurice's sister Marva said. "We call him miracle 2020... because he is a miracle."
Land's own family and his church family rallied behind him as he moved from Northwestern to Streeterville's Shirley Ryan Ability Lab.
They say the power of prayer helped pull him through.
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"We had prayers coming from North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas, California, Florida and the Pacific," his sister Lynn said.
Land said he feels much better and is ready to start living his life again - a life that revolves around his family and his church.
The first thing Land said he wants to do is go to church and thank the faithful for their prayers.
"I want to say thank you for ll the prayers," Land said. "I know with the power of God they brought me out and I thank them…I really do."
Since he is not strong enough to attend church this week, Land said he plans to visit with his grandchildren first.
After that, eat a good meal, maybe pizza and tacos, he said.
