ATLANTA — One Gwinnett County man's life looked much different a year ago.
Michael Mullininx visited Northside Hospital Duluth this week. But he wasn't going to the hospital as a patient. He returned to say hello to the doctors and nurses that saved his life one year earlier.
Thursday marked Mullininx's anniversary of being discharged after catching COVID-19.
"I just can't believe that I'm here," Mullininx said, as he reflected on his time in the hospital.
He was 22-years-old and healthy before testing positive for COVID-19. Then Mullininx quickly felt worse. His his oxygen level dropped and he ended up in the hospital.
As she watched her son in an intensive care unit bed, on a ventilator, and in a medically induced coma for weeks, Connie Mullininx thought he wouldn't leave the hospital alive.
"He's come a long way. From not being able to talk and walk. We are glad he is here," she said.
As he left the hospital last year to continue his recovery at home, doctors, nurses, and Duluth Police cheered on Mullininx.
RELATED: 22-year-old with no known health issues, mother recount COVID fight: 'I thought he was going to die'
Back at home, he could barely talk above a whisper. His voice slowly went back to normal with practice.
Using a walker for weeks, he regained his strength and slowly started walking again.
Mullininx's time in the hospital though is still too painful for him to describe in detail.
"I can't look at my photos like that. I can't look at it."
Before testing positive for COVID-19, Mullininx said he took the best-known precautions at the time. He wore a mask and practiced social distancing. Still though, he ended up catching the virus and found himself in the hospital.
Knowing what they know now, Mullininx said everyone should get vaccinated on top of continuing to take simple precautions. Outside of the pain he went through, he racked up a $690,000 hospital bill. Insurance did cover a very large portion of it.
"I goy my COVID shot and I still wear my mask no matter what. But people just need to be on the safe side because COVID is nothing to play with," Connie Mullininx said.
Mullininx's only lingering issue is a pain in one of his ankles. As he battled and recovered from COVID-19, he also lost his job. He hopes to become employed again soo so his life can completely return to normal.
On Thursday at Northside, Mullininx shared hugs and took photos with the hospital staff that took care of him in 2020.
After a few photos, he left the hospital.
A year ago, a nurse guided him out in a wheelchair. On Thursday though, he walked out on his own two feet.