State Rep. Randy Fine hospitalized due to lung damage caused by COVID-19

ORLANDO, Fla. - State Rep. Randy Fine was admitted to the hospital on Sunday after he, his wife and their two boys all tested positive for the coronavirus.

Fine spoke with FOX 35 about what led to him being admitted to the hospital and his current condition from his hospital room.

“I spent three days having these kind of uncontrollable coughing spells,” Fine said. “If I got out of bed, I’d start to cough and it would be like my whole body would be overtaken.”

Twelve days after Fine tested positive for COVID-19, he went to the hospital to get an X-Ray, where he said his doctor found serious damage to his lungs.

“I just thought I was going to get an X-ray and go home,” Fine said. “I didn’t even say goodbye to my boys. I didn’t really want to upset them. And then I didn’t come home.”

His two boys, both 8 and 12 years old, also tested positive for coronavirus, but, fortunately, only had mild symptoms.

“Everyone in my house got it,” he said. “My wife, both of my boys and me. They all seem to be largely recovered. I’m the one who is still struggling with it.”

Since being admitted to the hospital, he said he was diagnosed with pneumonia.

“When they looked at my blood oxygen, they didn’t think it looked very good and that’s why they wanted to admit me,” Fine said. “So the focus is to try and make sure the pneumonia doesn’t get worse.”

He said he hopes others will continue to follow the CDC guidelines to stop the spread of the virus by wearing masks and practicing social distancing.

“Hopefully, the fact that a 46-year-old, healthy guy, can end up in the hospital after two weeks makes people think, "You know what? Maybe this isn’t the flu,'” he said.  

For now, he is asking for people to pray for his family so he can go home to his boys soon.

“I do think I’m going to be OK,” he said. “Then again, I didn’t think I’d wind up in the hospital.”