COVID survivor returns to hospital to apologize for being unvaccinated: 'This virus is real'

SEATTLE, Washington -- After spending 28 days fighting for his life against COVID-19, an unvaccinated man returned to the hospital he was treated at to apologize to caregivers for not getting the vaccine.

Richard Soliz said he was skeptical and pointed to social media for being the reason he did not get a vaccine. He said he read about the side effects, claims of microchipping and questions about government approval.

Soliz said he didn't know anyone who had been sick with the virus, until he couldn't breathe.

"That's when I really knew I was in a bad situation, that's when I knew, 'Hey, this is COVID. Man. I contracted the virus,'" Soliz told KOMO.

For days, Soliz hung by a thread while he was on a ventilator. He is now out of the hospital and still recovering, but said he regrets not making the decision to get the vaccine.

After recovering, Soliz returned to the hospital he was treated at to apologize to the staff and shed some light on the situation.

"I just wanted to say thank you so much," he said to a nurse. "Please go get vaccinated, because this virus is real. Real enough to take someone's life, put you in the ICU."