A moving and uplifting ending to a long hard journey for Charles Cocker, 79, of Old Forge. Cocker’s wife Mary embraced him as he was wheeled out of Wayne Memorial Hospital today after a successful battle against COVID-19. Mary hadn’t seen her husband “Charlie” since March. Charles had had hip surgery in a Luzerne County hospital and then acquired COVID in a rehab setting at another facility. He was transferred to a second hospital and then to Wayne Memorial in Wayne County, where he’s been since mid-April. The Old Forge couple was overwhelmed with joy to see each other. Their daughter Kathy, her husband and son were also on hand for the discharge, along with Wayne Memorial staff who gave Charles a round of applause. Since the crisis began, Wayne Memorial Hospital has treated close to 30 COVID patients in an isolated containment unit at the hospital. Pulmonologist Sean McVeigh, MD, who oversees the COVID unit has pointed out repeatedly that “many people do survive COVID-19 and it’s good to tell their stories.”
While it was not able to happen before he left, Cocker wanted to thank the staff with a song played over the public address system—“Thanks for the Memories” by Bob Hope. A former hospital maintenance worker and UPS employee, Cocker said he was grateful for his care at Wayne Memorial.
Photo: Mary Cocker welcoming her husband, COVID-19 survivor Charles Cocker as he was discharged from Wayne Memorial Hospital, Honesdale.
Group photo: Wayne Memorial Hospital staff give COVID-19 survivor Charles Cocker, Old Forge, a rousing send-off as he was discharged.