Orlando pastor fighting for his life after testing positive for COVID-19

At God is Able Outreach, the church is getting a deep cleaning after the pastor and his wife caught COVID-19.

"I’m in the hospital fighting. But God got me," said Pastor Stovelleo Stovall.

The pastor says he’s suffering from kidney failure after testing positive for COVID-19. 

"I can’t breathe. I got COVID 19. And I took Johnson and Johnson, fully vaccinated." 

That’s right, he was fully vaccinated, with no underlying health conditions. But now, both he and his wife Renee are fighting the deadly virus.

"It’s very concerning and upsetting to me." 

Pastor Stovall’s good friend, Greg Francis, says the pastor tested positive on Wednesday. 

"What’s important here is that he’s putting out the information, so that anyone who knows him, will know if they’ve been around him in the last several days and know to get tested."

Despite testing positive, Pastor Stovall still believes in vaccines and even held vaccination clinics at his church over the summer. 

Francis says, "Even though he got the disease, the fact that he’s vaccinated could put him in a better position to recover."

The Orange County Health Director says being vaccinated has made a big difference. Dr. Raul Pino says, "Here in Orange it has prevented hospitalizations and death at about 98% so that’s significant." 

Death is something Pastor Stovall has faced in the past. His daughter was gunned down in 2020, and the killer is still on the loose. The pastor’s church was also vandalized.

This all happened even after he has marched against violence in Parramore and Pine Hills. Francis says Stovall’s faith has helped him fight adversity.

"This is yet another battle that he is going to have to face and conquer. And while his body is weak, his faith is strong."

And with that faith, Pastor Stovall shares a very important message, as he struggles to live. 

"Tell everybody to please get vaccinated."

Pastor Stovall thinks he contracted COVID-19 during a funeral, rather than church services. 

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