Northwest Community Hospital discharges its 2,000th COVID-19 patient

Doctors, nurses and support staffers cheered, waved and whistled Tuesday as Charles "Chuck" Rizzo of Mount Prospect was wheeled down the long hallway leading to Northwest Community Hospital's main exit.

More than 90 people joined the fanfare honoring Rizzo as the 2,000th COVID-19 patient discharged by the Arlington Heights hospital.

"It's remarkable," Rizzo said. "But you know what, it's not about me. It's about the people here. They're just so wonderful. God bless them all. They really treated me well."

He spent the last five days at the hospital after deciding to get help when he had respiratory issues and lost his sense of smell.

Rizzo, who is retired after working 35 years at UPS, said he wasn't sure where he contracted COVID-19.

"You have to be cautious; you have to have that mask on all the time," he said. "You want to make sure that you're protecting everybody else as well. You don't want your loved ones to get sick."

Rizzo plans to recuperate at home before he spends time with his grandchildren.

"Nobody, nobody should have to go through this," he said. "This (COVID) is a terrible thing, and I'm just very grateful for the people here that helped me."