Veteran firefighter recovering after months-long battle with Covid-19

By Ross Adams

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    JACKSON, Mississippi (WAPT) — A veteran Jackson firefighter has been in the hospital for more than two months battling COVID-19.

After nearly 20 years of battling blazes with the Jackson Fire Department, his wife said his fight against the coronavirus is his biggest battle yet. Jackson firefighter Captain Byshone Sykes has been in the hospital on a ventilator for close to three months battling COVID-19.

“It’s indescribable,” Alicia Sykes said. “Because someone you used to talk to all day throughout the day, you can’t hear their voice for so long. I couldn’t see him because he was still contagious. It’s been hard and it’s been really hard on the children.”

Alicia said the veteran firefighter was stricken with the deadly virus in July, three weeks after the couple celebrated their third wedding anniversary.

“Well, he’s got a long road. I mean with anyone that’s been intubated and, you know, just completely unconscious that’s been lying in the bed for almost 3 months, you got a learn to do everything all over again,” Alicia said. “So with my husband being who he is, he is the macho man, like it’s hard.”

Doctors stress importance of COVID-19 vaccine at JSU town hall Sykes’ wife didn’t say whether or not her husband had been vaccinated before he got the virus. She said he just had the ventilator removed three days ago and the family is praying for a full recovery.

If you would like to donate towards the Sykes family as Byshone Sykes continues his recovery, visit the site below: gofundme.com/f/help-captain-byshone-sykes-recover-from-covid19

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