"He had COVID or symptoms of COVID the day after Thanksgiving," recalls Michele Miller of New Castle.
 
By December, the virus left her father David fighting for his life.
 
"The seventh he was hospitalized, the 12th he went on a ventilator and was on there 42 straight days intubated," Miller says. "He had an end of life scenario on December 17th."
 
A grueling inpatient rehab followed - then kidney failure - then sepsis after a minor operation. David went into cardiac arrest three times. Doctors told Michele it was time to let go.

"He said only God can decide that so he fought," said Michele. "They started joking that he has nine lives."
 
 Seemingly endless battles with insurance companies meant Michele had to fight just as hard to keep her dad alive.
The battle to bring him closer to home ended Wednesday night when he arrived at Vibra Hospital in Boardman from Erie.
 
"It's a fresh start, new scenery, the past is behind us and he's ready to just rehab and he wants to come home and wants to see his grandsons," said Michele.
 
She's now focusing some of her time on an upcoming benefit dinner for David to help offset the sky-high medical bills. But still, her faith and optimism are unshakable.
 
"That stuff will work itself out," she said. "We hope that from here he can maybe move into a more intensive rehab facility when he gets a bit stronger or maybe even rehab at home."
 
Hope that's carrying Michele, David and the rest of the Millers through the fight of their lives.
 
"You never know...the thing about this story is you never know, it has taken so many twists and turns," says Michele.
 
Details on the benefit dinner are included in this story, and a GoFundMe page has also been set up.
 
You can click here to visit the GoFundMe.