COVID-19 SPECIAL MOMENT – A STORY OF RECOVERY FROM BURKE COUNTY

This week’s COVID-19 special moment is about care and recovery! For a time, the Grace Heights Health and Rehabilitation Center in Morganton was the epicenter for coronavirus cases in Burke County. More than a dozen people died, close to 30 residents tested positive and a good portion of the staff did too. “It was tough,” said David Altschul of Grace Heights. “It was a painful time, losing so many residents,” he said.

Things are better now and he and others at the facility felt it would be good to honor the survivors. Over the next few weeks, they will bring them out, one at a time, down a red carpet next to the entrance. From there, they will be able to see family members just yards away in their cars, shouting messages of love back and forth. “ This is wonderful, ” said one woman as she waved to her mom. “Up until now we always had a window between us.” 92-year-old Lola Gantt is among those who tested positive and survived. “It wasn’t so bad,” she says, but was quite happy with today’s celebrations. “It is a very good day.” Click here to view this special moment from (WBTV) June 23, 2020. Thank you to Jennifer Robinson, Vice President of Operations, SanStone Health and Rehabilitation, for sharing this special moment!

We hope you too will share your videos and/or photos, messages, etc. with us (ensure the privacy of residents and patients by acquiring the approval of patients and residents to use their images via authorization forms before sharing). Please send your special moments to Allison Dew at allisond@nchcfa.org. We look forward to sharing these uplifting memories with you in the future.