You may remember that back in February of 2021, we did two posts on Jeff Sweat, a writer in Los Angeles who, although his entire family caught COVID, was the only one to be hospitalized. Jeff was healthy with no underlying medical conditions at the time but he spent 28 days in the ICU. Jeff was intubated and had a tracheotomy, where an opening is placed in the neck for an airway. These procedures, along with the harm that COVID did to his body, gave Jeff great difficulty with his voice when he was released from the hospital. 

The following video is from Jeff’s appearance on the television program “Inside Edition,” where he talked about how a singing program designed to use diaphragmatic breathing, a technique used by opera singers, taught by opera singers, helped his recovery. It is an amazing addition to an inspiring and heart-helpful survival story.

We send our best wishes and congratulations to Jeff and Sunny and their three children, as well as to staff at the UCLA Ronald Reagan Hospital and the rehab facility where Jeff started his recovery. 

So many people were involved in the saving of one life, the recovery and the rehab. Please think of others as you make your choices as to how you decide to relate to people in your community. Many healthcare workers and health centers are exhausted, worn out and at the edge of functioning. Your actions may determine a lot more than your personal health and welfare.

For more information on this amazing story, visit these links:

How Opera Singing Is Helping Long-Haul Covid-19 Patients Recover

How Opera Singing Is Helping Long-Haul Covid-19 Patients Recover

Opera singers are teaching long-term Covid-19 patients to breathe again

ENO, the organization making this recovery possible!