Bart Recker walks during Saturday’s 5K Turtle Trot Run in Glandorf. Bart spent nearly six months in the hospital while he was treated for pneumonia and COVID-19. During his hospital stay, Bart lost 47 pounds and received a series of intensive treatments from intubation, dialysis and the support of an extracorporeal membrane oxygenation machine to pump and oxygenate Recker’s blood outside his body, allowing his heart and lungs to rest.
Richard Parrish | The Lima News
GLANDORF — Less than six months after his release from Mercy Health-St. Rita’s Medical Center, former COVID-19 patient Bart Recker took part in the Glandorf Turtle Trot 5K walk/run over Labor Day Weekend.
Recker, 47, is a mechanical engineer with the Lima branch of SSOE, an architectural engineering firm. He is back to work and doing his best to return to life as normal since suffering a severe case of COVID-19 in 2021. His recovery is in large part due to the doctors and physical therapists at Mercy Health-St. Rita’s in Lima.
When Recker was admitted to Mercy Health on Sept. 22, 2021, he ended up spending three months sedated and on an ECMO, a medical device that provides exterior oxygenation of the blood by routing his blood through a tube from his neck to his groin, bypassing his lungs so they could heal. Due to the process, he said he suffered liver and heart failure.
“I almost died a couple of times when I was unconscious,” Recker said.
Father Tony Fortman from St. John’s visited him at Mercy Health and performed the anointing of the sick.
“There were prayer groups comprised of friends, family and people all over the country saying a Christmas Novena, where a prayer is said 15 times a day from Thanksgiving through Christmas Eve. On Christmas Eve, the doctors told my wife it didn’t look good. But she told them, ‘You’re going to get a miracle tomorrow morning,’” Recker said, unable to hold back his tears.
“I began waking up Christmas Day, and all of my numbers started getting better,” he choked out.
The next three months were a struggle to relearn daily life skills and regain his strength and endurance during physical and occupational therapy sessions.
“It was very challenging,” Recker said. “You don’t realize how much muscle you lose in bed after three months. Without the therapists pushing me and helping me, I wouldn’t be where I am.”
As part of his exit plan when he left the hospital, Recker was asked to write down some goals. His main goal was to be able to walk in the next Glandorf Turtle Trot 5K.
In addition to undergoing cardiac rehab that involved walking on a treadmill, Recker began walking two miles at the YMCA’s track with Heather Shininger, a licensed physical therapist with Mercy Health.
“It was awesome when the day came and he was able to walk without any oxygen support,” Shininger said. To encourage him to reach his goal she told him, “‘Bart, if you are going to be doing this race, I will be right there beside you that day to make sure you finish.’”
After he finished therapy and returned to work, Recker said his wife kept his training going so he would not backslide. She walked an hour with him every other day.
Recker and his children all ran cross country in high school. His last 5K before COVID was eight years ago.
Saturday, Recker met his goal as walked the 5K with his wife and two of his children, Karissa, 23, and Tyler, 20. (His son Matthew, 17, was running cross country for a school event at another location, but was there in spirit).
Joining Recker’s family in the 5K were Father Tony Fortman along with Mercy Health employees Healther Shininger, Rhonda Lehman, Sara Powell, and many others who had supported Recker on his COVID-free road to a normal life.
Recker said his goal next year is to run the race.
Reach Shannon Bohle at 567-242-0399, by email at [email protected] or on Twitter @Bohle_LimaNews.
