(Photo : Oregonlive.com (through Rose Etherington))

Billy Kelly used to serve in the South Pacific during World War II. At the age of 95, this resident of Yamhill County, Oregon seems to have kept a 'leftover' from the fight he had back then as he has recently had a two-week battle against COVID-19. The veteran's granddaughter, 41-year-old Rose Etherington said in an interview with The Oregonian/OregonLive that her "Grandpa Bill is pretty hardcore."

Etherington, who, with her mother, husband and two little kids (five years old, and 11 months old), also live with Kelly in their McMinnville home, shared her grandpa has completely recovered from COVID-19 on Monday, adding, this was also the day which marked the end of the rest of the family's two-week home quarantine. 

READ: Chris Cuomo, News Anchor, and Brother of Governor Andrew Cuomo Tests Positive for COVID-19

It All Started with a Low-Grade Fever

Kelly's illness started on March 15 when he came down complaining he was not feeling well and he had a low-grade fever. Since he had some health issues including a congenital heart ailment, kidney disease, and high blood pressure, they went to, and stayed, at the hospital for a night. The following day, the older man felt quite better and went back home. 

The granddaughter continued, her grandfather's mild illness, perhaps, "wouldn't have warranted" one of the limited COVID-19 tests of Oregon. Nevertheless, Etherington's husband, Isaac, as a medical evacuation pilot who had flown recently, probable patients of the pandemic, prompted the doctors to test the old man out of abundant warnings.

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Tested Positive for the Illness

On March 17, Kelly's COVID-19 result came out positive. Following this, the health officials said, Etherington, as well as the rest of the family, should be home quarantined with her grandfather for the next 14 days. Isaac was given the test for the infection, as well, which, fortunately, came out negative. There was no one else in their household was tested although Etherington said, they checked in every day with the county health department. 

The good news was that no one from the rest of Kelly's family showed COVID-19 symptoms. Neither did they feel ill. Nevertheless, the granddaughter recalled, it was alarming especially that they were only drinking hot tea most of the time. She also described how careful they were with their health by regularly taking zinc and constantly washing their hands. What was even more challenging was that Kelly needed to spend the first seven days at home, almost totally just in his room.

READ MORE: FDA Authorizes 5-Minute Portable Coronavirus Test

Combatted COVID-19 As If He Were Still at War

Despite the threat of COVID-19, Kelly remained high-spirited. He was determined to fight the illness that is currently sweeping the world. Like in the war, the old man guaranteed he had his weapon to win the battle in forms of a lot of liquid drunk, plenty of rest taken, numerous movies watched, and above all, an unceasing prayer said. Lucky, indeed, that despite his old age, this man survived the pandemic that has now killed over 40,000 people globally. Incidentally, just last week, according to the state health officials, two men aged over 90 died of COVID-19. 

Presently, this illness has already claimed 16 people's lives in Oregon. All of them were 60 years old or older, and, like Kelly, they had underlying health conditions, too. Many people may have died more frequently each day because of COVID-19. But despite this, Rose Etherington still hopes her grandfather can be a source of inspiration and hope.