WACO, Texas — Waco Mayor Pro Tem Hector Sabido was back to work Monday after a battle with COVID-19. He now wants people to know that virus is something to be taken very seriously.
We’ve seen Sabido weekly when he informs the public about the risk of COVID-19 during McLennan County's weekly press conferences, but little did he know the virus would catch up with him too.
“To be honest with you, I don’t consider myself to be in the best of health, but I would say I’m pretty healthy. For it to affect me the way it did I was really surprised, and it came out of nowhere honestly,” Sabido said.
The coronavirus not only struck Sabido in November but also his entire family. His wife Ilda made a video to share with the community about their COVID-19 journey.
"I was very worried, very scared because you don’t know how it is going to affect you,” Ilda said. “It is the unknown and each day is a new experience."
Sabido and his wife said they practiced safety protocols. They wore their mask, did not go out to eat at restaurants and even homeschooled the kids. Somehow they still managed to get the virus.
Soon the symptoms became unbearable, Sabido had trouble breathing and was hospitalized without his family by his side for six days. Ilda and their son also tested positive but had no symptoms.
That wasn’t the case for their two-year-old daughter who was also hospitalized for three days after she stopped eating and was dehydrated.
While Sabido still has a cough he can't quite shake, the family is doing well. They urge everyone to be cautious now that cases in McLennan County continue to rise.
"This virus is real,” Sabido said. "It is not something to be joked with. I know we are close to getting a vaccine which I’m very grateful for, but I do encourage everyone to take it seriously and follow the CDC guidelines."
The Sabido family thanks the doctors at Ascension Providence Hospital in Waco for all they have done to help their family recover.
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