Former Tennessee police officer treated for COVID-19 in Atlantis visits hospital a year later – WPBF West Palm Beach

Former Tennessee police officer treated for COVID-19 in Atlantis visits hospital a year later

"These are the people that saved my life," Sean Finn told WPBF 25 News. He was at HCA Florida JFK Hospital for 117 days last year.

Updated: 5:55 PM EDT Oct 18, 2023

Sean Finn and his wife, Lauren, were all smiles as they walked back into the HCA Florida JFK Hospital in Atlantis more than a year after he was discharged. The Finns live in Tennessee and had to come to West Palm Beach to be treated for COVID-19 complications. Fortunately, JFK Hospital did have an ECMO bed, which helps your lungs and heart. "They were able to put ECMO into my neck," Sean Finn told WPBF 25 News. "I was on ECMO for 81 days, and then I was in the hospital for a total of 117." "Shortness of breath, and he was forced to come, and he was found to have oxygenation down very, very low," Dr. Carlos Dorta, an intensivist at HCA Florida JFK Hospital, told WPBF 25 News. "On the verge of death, and so I was present during that very beginning process, and we were able to resuscitate and do everything we had to do to keep him alive." Finn said he only has about 34% lung function but is always optimistic. For nearly the past five months, he hasn't had the need for constant additional oxygen supply. "I still have to use the oxygen every now and then, like if I get super winded. But most of the time, Im okay without it," Finn said. "Ive said from the beginning, if anybody could do it, it would be Sean," his wife, Lauren, said. When WPBF 25 News met the Finns last year as he was getting discharged, Sean was a father of two girls. And now, they recently welcomed a newborn son. Finn said despite the health obstacles he faced in his life, he says everything happened for a reason and he is grateful he is able to live life again. "This is exactly where God intended me to be," he said. "This is exactly the people I was supposed to be around, and ultimately, these are the people that saved my life."

Sean Finn and his wife, Lauren, were all smiles as they walked back into the HCA Florida JFK Hospital in Atlantis more than a year after he was discharged.

The Finns live in Tennessee and had to come to West Palm Beach to be treated for COVID-19 complications. Fortunately, JFK Hospital did have an ECMO bed, which helps your lungs and heart.

"They were able to put ECMO into my neck," Sean Finn told WPBF 25 News. "I was on ECMO for 81 days, and then I was in the hospital for a total of 117."

"Shortness of breath, and he was forced to come, and he was found to have oxygenation down very, very low," Dr. Carlos Dorta, an intensivist at HCA Florida JFK Hospital, told WPBF 25 News. "On the verge of death, and so I was present during that very beginning process, and we were able to resuscitate and do everything we had to do to keep him alive."

Finn said he only has about 34% lung function but is always optimistic. For nearly the past five months, he hasn't had the need for constant additional oxygen supply.

"I still have to use the oxygen every now and then, like if I get super winded. But most of the time, Im okay without it," Finn said.

"Ive said from the beginning, if anybody could do it, it would be Sean," his wife, Lauren, said.

When WPBF 25 News met the Finns last year as he was getting discharged, Sean was a father of two girls. And now, they recently welcomed a newborn son.

Finn said despite the health obstacles he faced in his life, he says everything happened for a reason and he is grateful he is able to live life again.

"This is exactly where God intended me to be," he said. "This is exactly the people I was supposed to be around, and ultimately, these are the people that saved my life."

Read more:

Former Tennessee police officer treated for COVID-19 in Atlantis visits hospital a year later - WPBF West Palm Beach