DETROIT (WXYZ) — For several weeks now, Dr. Renato Roxas and his wife, Kenyetta, have tried to comfort their eight-year-old son who is now hospitalized at Children's Hospital of Michigan in Detroit.
"He's ready to go home. This has been a battle for him. This has been really harsh to watch him go through such a thing," Kenyetta said in a video to 7 Action News as she sat next to Christian's hospital bed. "We're staying positive, knowing that he's going to get better."
Christian began showing signs of illness on April 14. That's when Kenyetta called her husband at 2:00 AM to tell him Christian wasn't feeling good and he was running a fever of 102.
Renato had been staying at an Airbnb to avoid being around his family since he's been caring for patients with COVID-19. But a few days earlier, he visited his wife and children at their home in Auburn Hills. They took precautions but Renato, who never showed signs of illness, fears that's when he may have infected his son.
"I was in the thick of it," said Renato. "Obviously, I have a little guilt. I'm thinking probably I'm the one who gave it to him even though I didn't have any symptoms but, you know, we were trying our best to keep everybody as safe as possible and to have him get this sickness, it's pretty hard."
Recently, Christian's aunt, Sharon Williams, knowing how much Christian loves firefighters and police officers, contacted the Auburn Hills Fire Department, and firefighters graciously drove by the family's home in their big rigs to wish Christian a speedy recovery.
"I want to thank them for the love and support they provided," said Sharon.
On Sunday, Christian was admitted to Children's Hospital with a temperature of 104. In addition to a fever, he has been experiencing severe stomach pains, diarrhea, vomiting, and fatigue.
Christian tested negative for coronavirus but doctors believe he had been infected and now has a rare inflammatory illness that is reportedly affecting dozens of children in the U.S. and abroad.
"They think it's a version of the pediatric multisystem inflammatory disorder related to COVID-19," Renato said. Doctors are now testing Christian for antibodies.
Christian is continuing to improve, and his mom, dad, and siblings hope he'll be able to come home this weekend.. just in time for Mother's Day.
