It is going to be a different kind of Easter for Kevin Deming, his wife Becca and their two sons, David and Micah.
Deming, 47, a pastor at Chestnut Ridge Church in Cheat Lake, was Monongalia County’s first person to test positive for COVID-19.
That was last month, just after Deming and Becca returned from a trip to Israel. Deming said he didn’t feel right and had many of the novel coronavirus symptoms and was concerned. These included a low grade fever, body aches and bad headaches.
A visit to the emergency room at Mon Health Medical Center a few days later — on March 15 — confirmed it. COVID-19.
Becca and their son David, 20, came down with the virus as well. Micah, 18, never became infected, Deming said.
In the last month, the family has recovered but still remain self-quarantined in their Cheat Lake home. Just as he had beaten COVID-19, Kevin Deming said he was diagnosed with mononucleosis, a virus that is highly contagious that leaves you fatigued, feverish and achy.
“I’ve been in the house since March 11,” said Deming, adding the only two times he was out of the house was to go to the Mon Health emergency room to be tested for COVID-19 and the second time also to Mon Health, when he learned he had mono. That virus is being treated with rest.
“Thankfully we have video connections,” Deming said during a phone interview with The Dominion Post. “We’ve also had people bring us groceries and meals.”
He also feels blessed to have his family with him, especially during Easter.
“Jesus is hope,” he said.
Still Deming said he does have his moments about why he got the virus.
“But sometimes, I do question why I did get this,” added Deming, saying he believes it was a blessing in many ways because he has been able to encourage others with COVID-19.
“They are looking for someone to answer their questions.”
The pastor said he is fairly sure he became infected with COVID-19 in Israel, or one of the many airports he traveled through during that trip. He was in Israel when he began to feel unwell.
“We were literally with hundreds of thousands of people from around the world.”
During the month he has been self-quarantined, Deming said he continues to work to keep him from going stir crazy.
“I feel like the entire world is experiencing the same difficulties,” he said. “Some of us have had the virus and some of us have lost loved ones. To me, I just continue to put hope in Christ and knowing who he is. The hope of the future is good and God can encourage us, God can help us encourage everyone.”
Deming said the family’s Easter celebration will be different this year, but still special. They will watch Chestnut Ridge’s Easter service online and just be together.
He said he takes much comfort in the Bible verse Romans 12:12. “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction and persistent in prayer.”
“I am ready for things to get back to normal,” he said. “But, who knows what that normal will be?”
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