News : Benton County's first COVID-19 patient returns home, FINALLY

Donnie Wheeler with son Justin outside the family home as they wait for the parade to begin

For Donnie Wheeler being stuck at home would have been a lot more fun than being stuck in the hospital like he was for the last 6 weeks.

Donnie was the very first COVID-19 patient in Benton County. He said most of his stay at St. Luke's Hospital in Cedar Rapids, was a blur, he doesn't even remember most of it. While hospitalized the nurse told him that he was on the ventilator twice and for someone to go through that, it's rare they said that a person would survive, but Donnie did.

On Friday afternoon a group of his family and friends gathered to surprise his with a small welcome home parade and to wish him well. It wasn't a warm day for it, but Donnie braved the few minutes outside for his family and friends. Several of the cars, including Donnie's sported the message, "DonnieStrong" as a way to show their support for their hero.

Welcome home Donnie!

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Here's a link to the CBS story capturing Donnie leaving the hospital to applause...