NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. — Talia Kalisiak, only 20 years old, spent several weeks at Niagara Falls Memorial on a ventilator and in the intensive care unit battling COVID-19.
She's finally off of it and breathing on her own.
She was even discharged from Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center this week but not without a special farewell.
It was an emotional day and a well-deserved goodbye for Talia, who had been in the hospital since November.
"Their nickname for her was miracle. She is their miracle patient who they were able to help get through all of it," said Talia's mother Heather.
"She knew that it was good for them to be able to see that she was going to make it and move onto the next phase of her recovery. A lot of (the tears) were for the people at the hospital who helped her through it," added Heather.
About 100 nurses, doctors and hospital staff lined the halls of the hospital to wish Talia good luck in her recovery.
Many of them included those who took care of her.
It was a special moment the hospital's staff couldn't wait to see.
"This is always great to see somebody walk out of here after struggling through the ravages of COVID. Just to see her walk out and see the emotions has been great. The care she received from our respiratory nurses and the whole team was absolutely fantastic but we're a family here and that's what we do," said Alexander Collichio, vice president of Human Resources at the hospital.
She is now at a rehab facility so she can build her strength back up.
All of us here at 2 On Your Side wish Talia a speedy recovery.
