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A man not vaccinated against COVID-19 had to undergo a double lung transplant after contracting the virus.
Blake Bargatze, 24, of Sugar Hill, Ga., Was the only member of his family not to get the vaccine because he was worried about side effects
However, his family believe he caught COVID-19 while attending a concert in Florida – and his health deteriorated quickly, WSB-TV reported.
Bargatze spent three months in intensive care at three different hospitals before undergoing the procedure.
Now facing months of rehab, his family say they wish they had received the vaccine and want to warn others to do so so they don’t risk the same happening to them.
Blake Bargatze, 24, of Sugar Hill, Ga., Recently had a double lung transplant after contracting COVID-19. Pictured: Bargatze in the hospital before the operation
Bargatze’s family (left and right, before the operation) said he had not been vaccinated because he feared side effects. He is believed to have caught the virus in Florida during an indoor concert, and his health quickly deteriorated
Bargatze’s mother, Cheryl Nuclo, told WSB-TV that her son regularly uses a vaper, but has no pre-existing conditions.
Although every member of his family received the vaccine, the 24-year-old said he wanted to wait.
“He wanted to wait a few years to find out if there were any side effects or anything,” said Paul Nuclo, his stepfather.
“As soon as he got to the hospital, however, he said he wished he had received the vaccine.”
Bargatze was attending an indoor music show in Florida, where he believes he caught the virus.
“He called me that Friday when he got the results and he thought, ‘Mom, you’re going to be mad. I had COVID, ”Cheryl said.
Within days, Bargatze’s health rapidly declined.
On April 10, he was admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU) at St Mary’s Medical Center in West Palm Beach, Fla., According to a GoFundMe page.
Bargatze was then transported by air ambulance to Piedmont Hospital in Atlanta on April 24 and placed on an extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) machine.
The machine, typically used for people with heart and lung problems, pumps and oxygenates a patient’s blood outside the body, giving the heart and lungs a rest.
He received his new pair of lungs on June 28 and now faces six to eight months of recovery and rehabilitation. Pictured: Bargatze after double lung transplant
His family say he now wishes he had received the vaccine and wants his story to be a reminder of how serious COVID-19 can be. Pictured: Bargatze before the operation
While in hospital, his lungs sustained significant damage and he was transferred to the University of Maryland Medical Center on June 12.
After more than two weeks, a pair of donor lungs were found for Bargatze and he underwent a double lung transplant on June 28.
He will need to stay in Baltimore between six and eight hours to recover and rehabilitate, according to a GoFundMe page.
Cheryl and her son want Bargatze’s story to be a reminder of the damage the disease can cause without a vaccine.
‘Maybe if some people were a little on the fence[about getting vaccinated] and swaying, he wants them to see what could be the extreme of what can happen, ”Cheryl told WBS-TV.
“I don’t use fear tactics, but it can happen. I just want no one else to go through this.
Bargatze’s medical journey is similar to those observed across the country.
Health officials in states such as Arkansas and Mississippi report that more than 90 percent of hospitalized COVID-19 patients are not vaccinated.
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