A 91-year-old grandmother who was hospitalized for the coronavirus recovered and made it home in time for Passover

• When Peter Fox took his 91-year-old grandma — his 'bubby' — to the hospital last month after she developed the coronavirus, he worried he'd never see her again.
• Many hospitals across the US have banned visitors and people who are 80 or older have a high mortality rate.
• The New Jersey-based journalist tweeted an emotional message about his grandmother's condition, which was shared widely.
• After five days in the hospital, Fox's grandmother improved and was able to go home in time to celebrate Passover.
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When Peter Fox's 91-year-old grandmother, whom he calls "bubby," developed a cough and was struggling to breathe last month, he knew it was likely coronavirus. Fox couldn't help but fear the worst.

"When I brought her to the hospital, I thought I was taking her there to die and never see her again," Fox told Insider. "It was very gut wrenching."

The New Jersey-based journalist, who lives with his grandmother — Rhoda Fried — shared his concerns in an emotional Twitter thread, which resonated with people all over. His original tweet got more than 47,000 likes and more than 5,000 retweets. It got a boost when Jake Tapper, a CNN anchor, retweeted it.

Fox's trying experience mirrors that of many Americans right now who are worried about their at-risk relatives. The mortality rate for COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, dramatically increases with age. Now that most hospitals have banned visitors — to limit the spread of the disease — older people are also more likely to die alone.

Fox had cause for extra concern. His grandmother has emphysema, a lung condition that causes shortness of breath and increases risks for complications related to COVID-19.

A 91-year-old New Jersey grandmother developed the coronavirus and recovered

Fried tested positive for the coronavirus and was admitted to the Valley Hospital in Ridgewood, New Jersey on March 28. But Fried, a retired nurse, defied the odds. She wasn't put on a ventilator. After five days, she was discharged — in time to celebrate Passover with her family.

But while Fried was in the hospital, Fox said he and his family were mostly left in the dark. They weren't permitted to visit, due to coronavirus-related restrictions. Fried struggles with using the phone, so they weren't able to communicate with her that way either.

On the day Fried was admitted, Fox dropped off a heartfelt note, wishing her well and letting her know that thousands of people on Twitter had seen his tweet and were "rooting" for her.

While Fox is elated that his grandmother is getting better, he said she still has a long way to go before fully recovering. Fox's mother has temporarily moved in with the pair to help take care of Fried.

But the retired nurse has a long recovery ahead of her

"When you're taking care of an elderly person with COVID at home, you really have to monitor the person's symptoms because they can fluctuate so quickly," Fox said. "Every day feels like a week."

Fried is currently quarantined to her own room. She uses an oxygen tank to alleviate respiratory distress. Fox and his mother frequently take Fried's temperature and check her oxygen levels.

After a difficult first few days, Fox said that his grandmother has improved substantially.

"I think she's truly amazed that she's on her way to recovery," Fox said.

Celebrating Passover was extra special for the grandmother of 3

Fox said he was particularly heartened to be able to celebrate Passover with his grandmother.

"Many of my earliest memories are of celebrating Jewish holidays in her house," Fox said. "Passover has always been a particularly meaningful one."

Fried has two children and three grandchildren, including Fox. Fried married her husband, Joseph, in 1953. He died in 2012.

To accommodate his grandmother, Fox came up with an abbreviated Seder, the traditional Passover ceremony.

The two chanted some songs together, while sitting a safe distance from one another. In place of reciting the 10 plagues, the pair listed 10 things they were grateful for.

Her medical background helped her in her fight

Fox said he believes his grandmother's nursing background helped her get through the ordeal.

Fried became a nurse in 1950 and worked in multiple healthcare centers and clinics in New York and New Jersey over the years.

"She knows how to communicate all her symptoms with the right terminology," Fox said, "and she could really effectively talk to her nurses and doctors."

Her home was already equipped with some crucial medical equipment, including a pulse oximeter machine, which measures oxygen levels in the body, and she knows how to use the tools.

She practiced social distancing and rigorous handwashing before getting sick

Fox said that he and his family began practicing social distancing in early March before it was a requirement in New Jersey. They were careful about washing their hands thoroughly and often, and they cleaned and sanitized frequently. He still isn't sure how his grandmother contracted the coronavirus.

He hopes he and his grandmother's story encourages other families to have open dialogues with at-risk family members about their health and coronavirus-related risks. Because Fox was so informed, he said he was able to get his grandmother the help she needed right away.

While his grandmother's illness has been hard on his family, Fox said that there's been some upside to it all.

"I've probably spent more time with her in a couple of months than I have in the last several years," he said. "I've gotten to really see the wisdom that she has. Our relationship is way closer than it's ever been."