CASTLE ROCK, Colo. — Charles Valenzuela's journey with COVID-19 began at AdventHealth Castle Rock, where he was admitted about four years ago with a dire prognosis. After spending five weeks in a medically induced coma and on a ventilator, Valenzuela survived the disease and became a symbol of resilience to the ICU team at AdventHealth.
On Wednesday, Valenzuela returned to the same ICU room where he fought for his life. Valenzuela knew he was coming to see his room but didn't know that the medical team that cared for him during those critical weeks would be there to surprise him.
"When I woke up the last time at my house, I knew it was beyond my control. I literally had an ice-cold towel on my body, [and] I was watching the steam come off my body," Valenzuela recalled. "I started hallucinating."
His battle with COVID-19 significantly impacted his health, compounded by existing conditions, including COPD, asthma, and emphysema. The severity of his illness led Dr. Darren Boe, his ICU physician, to place him on a ventilator to assist his breathing.
"When patients got to the point where we couldn't keep their oxygen levels normal, we had to make the tough decision to put them on a breathing machine or ventilator," Boe said.
Boe said there was often anxiety surrounding patients on ventilators during the pandemic, as many believed it often meant a death sentence. However, success stories like Valenzuela’s serve as reminders of the victories amid the despair.
"There was a lot of reports out in the community that going on a ventilator was a death sentence. That's actually not what we were seeing," said Boe. "We knew for sure that if you were on a breathing machine, if you were that sick, that your odds of survival were lower."
Valenzuela credited community support for helping him recover, including his friends, family, his dog, and the dedicated staff at AdventHealth.
"When I walked in this room and saw everybody, I was overwhelmed," he said, struggling with emotion. “These people are my brothers and sisters in Christ.”
Looking back, Valenzuela admitted that he was initially dismissive of COVID-19's seriousness.
“I was the biggest crap talker about COVID when it came out,” he said. "I thought it was a joke. Then I got COVID, and then I realized how real it was. Didn't believe in the vaccine [or] anything, and so there I was."
His recovery has not only been physical but also mental. After experiencing isolation and homelessness, Valenzuela credits his dog as a vital support during his recovery, providing companionship and unconditional love.
"She’s been through everything I’ve been through," Valenzuela said of his dog, Girl.
Boe said witnessing patients overcome serious illness is what drives healthcare providers.
"This is why we do this... allowing them to live their lives," he said.
As Valenzuela stands today — a survivor thankful for a second chance at life — he hopes that by sharing his story, others will recognize the virus’s reality.
"I have pictures of me when I was out homeless and on drugs, and I have pictures after rehab, and they're both almost identical. So close to death," he reflected. "But God redeemed me twice. I'm blessed."
Valenzuela’s triumph echoes a powerful message of resilience as he embraces life after the ICU, acknowledging that while his journey is not an easy one, he chooses to focus on the good.
"Thank God we have people like that," he said, appreciating the community that rallied around him.
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