Dad Fighting For Life After Catching Coronavirus From 21-Year-Old Son

A dad from Florida is now fighting for his life after contracting coronavirus from his son, who ignored his parents' advice to stay home and gathered with his friends.

John Place, from Plantation, has been placed into the intensive care unit at the Westside Regional Medical Center and was put onto a ventilator for longer than two weeks.

The 42-year-old caught the virus along with his whole family after his 21-year-old son went out with his friends and came back home with it, infecting his family.

However, it's his dad that has come out of this the worst. He's now been in hospital for around three weeks.

Michelle Zymet, Place's wife and the young man's stepmother, has said that she pleaded with her stepson to stay inside at home, and - if he did go out - not to meet his friends and to wear a mask.

She asked him to think about his dad's health, as Place is high risk because of his weight and diabetes.

Zymet told 7 News Miami: "He always assured me, 'Don't worry, mom. I'm doing everything right, relax, chill.' You know how these kids are, so I trusted in him."

Despite her specific request not to, the unnamed stepson went out one night in June and met up with his friends, removing his mask while eating and drinking.

A few days later, he developed the tell-tale cold symptoms and found out one of his friends at the get-together had tested positive for the virus.

By that stage, it was too late.

Zymet continued: "You let your guard down just one time, it's all it takes.

"You come home, and you infect the entire house."

The illness moved through the whole family, which is exactly what the government of Florida has been worried about.

Authorities have feared that the surge in recent cases could be exacerbated by young people meeting before giving their older or vulnerable relatives the illness.

Zymet added: "Maybe they think, 'None of us are sick. We are fine.' They don't understand many of us are asymptomatic and are positive carriers of the virus."

She went on to say that the younger folks 'won't know [the true danger of the virus] until it hits home'.

Florida has now passed the 300,000 confirmed cases mark, and at the time of writing 4,676 had died in the state after testing positive.

A GoFundMe page has been set up to help pay for John's medical bills.

Featured Image Credit: 7 News Miami

Topics: US News

Tom Wood

Tom Wood is a LADbible journalist and Twin Peaks enthusiast. Despite having a career in football cut short by a chronic lack of talent, he managed to obtain degrees from both the University of London and Salford. According to his French teacher, at the weekend he mostly likes to play football and go to the park with his brother. Contact Tom on [email protected]

@TPWagwim