Lowcountry 12-year-old hospitalized for COVID-19 is now off the ventilator

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - A 12-year-old from Walterboro, who has been hospitalized for weeks at MUSC’s children’s hospital because of COVID-19, is making some progress in her fight against the virus.

Amari Goodwin’s mom, Misty, said her daughter is finally off the ventilator. She said Amari is no longer sedated and is now doing physical therapy in order to get stronger and be ready to go home.

According to Misty, her daughter was diagnosed with COVID, pneumonia and RSV in August and was admitted to the hospital and put on a ventilator Aug. 11.

Misty said her daughter still has a long road ahead, though, and there isn’t really an exact timeline on when she will be discharged from MUSC’s Shawn Jenkins Children’s Hospital in downtown Charleston. Amari might also have to go to Charlotte for more physical therapy because she has gotten so weak being confined to a hospital bed.

“She’s starting to move her fingers and her arms,” Misty said. “She can lift her legs up a little bit, but she can’t sit up by herself or have enough sturdiness to stand up.”

According to Misty, Amari is still on oxygen and will probably have to be kept on it for a while, even when she leaves the hospital for good.

Still, now that Amari is off the ventilator and making progress, Misty said, as a mother, she is feeling a lot better.

“[It’s a] relief,” she said. “As said before, I don’t wish it on nobody. [Amari’s] got her sassy mouth back, so I feel so much better. She’s doing a lot better. She’s talking more, she’s playing her games, she’s back on her phone.”

Misty said Amari is in good spirits and is able to talk to her brother on the phone. They hope Amari be able to back home in time for her birthday Sept. 18.

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