Utah man who made national headlines returns home after being hospitalized with COVID-19

SARATOGA SPRINGS — After more than two months in the hospital, battling COVID-19, Russell Greene arrived home Tuesday morning to an official police escort and cheering family and friends.

"This day came faster than I thought it would because of the miracles that took place to get us here," said Russell's wife, Mindy Greene.

Before getting out of the car, Russell Greene was embraced by his father through the window. The two haven't seen each other since Greene was admitted to the hospital on July 1.

"I think he's doing better than any of us expected," said Kim Greene. "I literally told him that this was the best and happiest day of my life."

Russell Greene then hugged his wife and four children.

Through labored breathing, he spoke to the crowd gathered in front of his house.

"I love you guys," he said. "Thank you so much. Thank you for the prayers and for the fasting. I can't believe I made it home."

The Greene family made national headlines for sharing their story of regret about not getting the vaccine.

"There is so much misinformation out there about the vaccine and it's scaring people and people are making their decisions based off of things that aren't true," Mindy Greene said.

Greene said she came to regret the decision to not vaccinate her family after the couple's sons came home from summer camp with the delta variant.

Russell Greene, 42, then became infected and was admitted to the ICU a few days later.

"If our story can help one person or hundreds of people from having to experience what we've experienced, then it's worth it to me," Mindy Greene said. "To face death and to be able to come out and tell people that there's a way to not have to face death, it's a good message to share."

Greene now encourages those still deciding about the vaccine to write down their questions and concerns.

"Find somebody that you trust in the medical field that knows what they're doing and ask them all of those questions so that you can have proper information to make that decision," she said.

While at the hospital with her husband, Mindy said she watched other families lose loved ones to COVID-19.

She said there was a familiar story of perfectly healthy people with no preexisting conditions still becoming gravely ill.

"The only reason why they are intubated and in the ICU fighting for their lives was because they were not vaccinated," she said.

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