Florida Man Fights COVID-19 in Florida ICU After Being Exposed by Son

By Mary Anne R. First Posted: Jul 16, 2020 11:49 PM EDT

Florid man COVID-19 — Photo : Getty Images Ryan M. Breeden

Young people are not exempted from the dangers brought by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)

That is why Michelle Zymet pleaded for weeks with her stepson to avoid going out with friends and always wear a mask.

Zymet told her stepson to think about his dad, who is at a higher risk of COVID-19 due to being overweight and diabetic.

She said it is not the time. But the man went out and gathered with friends. He removed his mask while eating and drinking.

The young man felt cold symptoms days later, and a friend told him she had tested positive for COVID-19.

Florida man, John Place, is now at Florida hospital's intensive care unit fighting COVID-19. The place was likely to be exposed by his son.

Authorities feared the recent rise of cases on younger Floridians, who could spread it to older, more vulnerable people.

Zymet said these young people don't listen and could be due to peer pressure.

"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," Zymet was quoted in a report.

Florida man Place's son did not want to talk to the media. The young man said he told his father and stepmother that he first thought he had a common cold and took over-the-counter medication.

Even when he heard his friend testing positive, he still did not think he had COVID-19.

But his members of his family started feeling ill one by one.

It started with his 14-year-old brother, who is also overweight. The 14-year-old was wheezing, coughing, and lethargic.

The 6-year-old sister had a runny nose. Zymet also fell ill and started feeling achy with fevers and chills.

The whole family was tested positive. But Florida man Place was the only one who was hospitalized after four days of fever and non-stop coughing.

The place has been in the hospital for around three weeks.

Place's photo booth business was not working at the moment. Zymet's friends are raising funds for Place's hospitalization.

Zymet said she has been called an "awful mother" and an "evil witch" for placing the blame on her stepson. But she believes it was important to share her family's story.

Young People Becoming Infected

South Florida mayors and Florida governor Ron DeSantis talked about the gathering of young people widely contributed to the rise in cases that started in June.

Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez said younger people were gathering to celebrate the end of school or college. Some are joining street protests and just partying at houses, underground venues, and restaurants.

Gimenez said older members of the families becoming infected are possible with many multigenerational families in the community.

Gimenez said on Tuesday that many older people are getting hospitalized after younger kids are infecting each other.

"Exactly what we feared - that they were going to take it to their parents, that they were going to take it to their grandparents," Gimenez was quoted in a report.