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This man's COVID-19 near-death experience left him in a coma for 18 days

·2 min read
Randy Blondin says his near-death experience from COVID-19 has given him a new perspective on life. The western Quebec man spent more than two weeks in a coma last year. (Radio-Canada - image credit)
Randy Blondin says his near-death experience from COVID-19 has given him a new perspective on life. The western Quebec man spent more than two weeks in a coma last year. (Radio-Canada - image credit)

When Randy Blondin was taken to hospital last April because of COVID-19, he was told he had no choice but to be intubated.

That's when the La Pêche, Que., man knew he needed to call his wife, Guylaine Larocque.

"I figured it might be the last time I spoke with her, so I just told her the tubes were going in and I loved her. [Then] I dropped the phone on the floor."

Blondin was put in a semi-coma and wouldn't wake up again until more than two weeks later.

You never know when the end is going to be there for you. But you've got to make the best of it. - Randy Blondin

The 60-year-old believes he was one of the first in the Outaouais region to get COVID-19. Nearly a year later, Blondin said, his memories of what happened are still clear.

His symptoms began late in March 2020, when he lost his sense of taste one night and later developed a cough.

By the time he went to the hospital a few days later, Blondin said, he was barely able to breathe. He was given a roughly 20 per cent chance of survival.

'Close to death'

Blondin would spend the next 18 days in a coma, fighting for his life. While his wife lived in fear of losing her husband, Blondin said he spent the whole time dreaming.

"I dreamt I travelled the world, you know, places I'd never been to or anything. I know I was close to death, but now I can't really say I felt like I was close to death."

Blondin says he called his wife, Guylaine Larocque, right, after learning he was being intubated, and told her he loved her because he believed it might be the last time they spoke.
Blondin says he called his wife, Guylaine Larocque, right, after learning he was being intubated, and told her he loved her because he believed it might be the last time they spoke. (Submitted by Guylaine Larocque)

Blondin has made a full recovery and said he's still grateful for the health-care workers who saved his life.

"It's incredible how hard they work. And when you see that they're tired, they really are tired," he said.

Hopes people can 'enjoy life again'

In a full-circle moment, Blondin recently received his first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, as he's a caregiver for his 91-year-old mother, who lives in a long-term care home in Ontario.

Regardless, Blondin plans to continue to be careful until more people are immunized. He said he avoids going to stores and restaurants, and is hopeful people can "enjoy life again" soon.

His experience has also put things into perspective.

"You never know when the end is going to be there for you," Blondin said. "But you've got to make the best of it, that's for sure."

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    Vancouver police are again appealing for witnesses to come forward with any information they may have about a fatal shooting in Kitsilano that claimed the life of a man investigators said had no clear ties to crime or gangs. "As today marks two years to the date of the death of Mr. Kumar, investigators are hoping to acquire more leads to help solve the murder and bring closure to Mr. Kumar's family," Const. Tania Visintin wrote in a statement Friday. On Apr. 16, 2019, Vancouver resident Manoj Kumar was found shot near the corner of Burrard Street and 4th Avenue just after 8:30 p.m., PT. A statement released shortly after the shooting death said the 30-year-old died at the scene, and any suspects were gone by the time police arrived. On Friday, investigators released another photo and video of the suspects, hoping someone can help move the investigation forward. "Investigators believe there are people in the community who know who is responsible for this homicide. We encourage those with knowledge of the suspects to come forward," said Visintin. Anyone with information is asked to call police at 604-717-2500, or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477.

  • Vulnerable Inuk man left homeless as public guardian argues it is not responsible for housing

    An Iqaluit man under the protection of Nunavut's public guardian is being forced into homelessness while government officials struggle to figure out how to help him and who should pay for that help, according to a case at the Nunavut Court of Justice. The Inuk man in this case, whose identity CBC is withholding, has schizophrenia and an intellectual disability. He was placed into the care of the public guardian according to an order under Nunavut's Public Guardianship Act in November last year. Those who fall under such protective orders do not have the capacity to make some basic life decisions for themselves. Last month, the man left Iqaluit's men's shelter in order to attend a court appearance in Kinngait. When he got back, the shelter was full. A couple days later, his defence lawyer noticed bruising and scratches on his face. The man reported the injuries were a result of frostbite due to homelessness. Legal aid lawyers quickly filed documents with the court demanding the public guardian secure temporary housing for the man under its care. But the guardian's office filed its own court documents refusing. It says it contacted numerous facilities in Iqaluit, none of which could house the man. It added that it is not its responsibility to house people under its care, especially in light of Nunavut's longstanding housing crisis. If it were their responsibility, the public guardian argued, it would have a long line at its door of people looking to be placed in its care for housing purposes. And the budget approved by the Legislative Assembly for the Office of the Public Guardian does not include such housing costs, the office argued. But Beth Kotierk, the man's legal aid lawyer, argued that the government cannot allow a person in its care to go homeless while it figures out which agency should pay for their care. Jordan's Principle should apply: legal aid lawyer In documents submitted to the court, Kotierk argues that Jordan's Principle should apply in the man's case. That principle was approved by a motion in the House of Commons in 2007, two years after five-year-old Jordan River Anderson died. The child, who was from Norway House Cree Nation in Manitoba, died while different levels of government argued in court about who should pay for his care. The principle named in his honour aims to prevent a similar situation from occurring. Although the man in Nunavut's public guardianship case is not a child, the same principle applies, Kotierk argued. The case went before Justice Paul Bychok on April 1, but due to administrative errors by legal aid lawyers, the case was dismissed without prejudice, which means it can be brought to court again. It was scheduled to go before the court again in late May. But the discovery of a case of COVID-19 in the capital suspended operations at Nunavut's Court of Justice on Thursday, and it's not clear when the case may be heard again. In the mean time, Kotierk said Nunavut's legal aid agency is working to secure a hotel room for the man.

  • Pfizer supply bolstered as Moderna cuts delivery, Ontario turns down Trudeau's help

    The federal government is buying more doses of the COVID-19 vaccine from Pfizer-BioNTech as it moves to offset reduction in supply from another producer. And while it offered to help Ontario distribute its shots, the hot-spot province turned down that assistance as the premier piled on more restrictions on Friday. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Friday a contract with Pfizer for eight million additional doses of its vaccine hours after Canada said Moderna would slash its deliveries in half through the rest of April. The increase in Pfizer supply is coming at a time when COVID activity is rapidly spreading in parts of the country, including Canada's most populous province. Trudeau said the federal government will provide more relief to Ontario, including deploying the Canadian Red Cross to help with their mobile vaccination teams; setting up additional hospital beds in Toronto and Hamilton; and sending equipment and drugs. "In many places, numbers are higher than they’ve ever been before," Trudeau said. "And far too many hospitals are already stretched far too thin. ... So we're going to do whatever it takes to help." Ontario logged a record 4,812 new cases on Friday and 25 more deaths related to the virus. Its science advisers presented stark new projections predicting daily infections could soon approach 20,000, and that extending stay-at-home orders and administering 100,000 vaccine doses per day would be needed to flatten the curve. Premier Doug Ford struck a dire tone as he announced a suite of severe measures to supplement the extension of the province's stay-at-home order for another two weeks. "We're losing the battle between the variants and vaccines," Ford told a news conference. "We are on our heels. But if we dig in, remain steadfast, we can turn this around." New restrictions include stricter limits on interprovincial travel, outdoor gatherings, businesses and religious services, and shutting down non-essential construction. Police are vested with special powers to enforce public health protocols. Ontario also made an appeal to other provinces to send health-care workers to alleviate pressure on its hospitals. However, the premier seemed more tepid about Trudeau's offer to help with the vaccine rollout. Spokeswoman Ivana Yelich said the gesture was appreciated, but the province would not need the Red Cross to help administer vaccines "unless it is matched with an increase in supply." "This isn't a capacity issue," Ford told reporters, "it's a supply issue." Data from the federal government shows Ontario has received more than 4.8 million vaccine doses. The provincial data shows 3.6 million have been administered as of Thursday evening, suggesting 1.2 million doses are still to be used. Earlier Friday, the Canadian Medical Association said further restrictions must be considered in regions experiencing rapid rates of COVID-19 transmission, including a "total lockdown" in Ontario. "That means anything that's truly not essential ... needs to be closed completely for a period of time," said Dr. Katharine Smart, the president-elect of the CMA. "These half-closures and half-measures and not working." Rapid growth in COVID activity continues to be seen as variants of concern escalate in parts of the country. Dr. Theresa Tam, Canada's chief medical officer, said the ramped-up vaccine rollout has been positive, however, with seven million residents inoculated this week. "Vaccines are reducing severe illness, death and outbreaks in high-risk settings and populations that were targeted in that initial phase of vaccination," she said. "These benefits are building, and they will be the bridge that takes us all to greater safety." Health Canada said Friday that it's reviewing a submission from Pfizer-BioNTech to expand the use of its COVID-19 vaccine to young people aged 12 and older. Canada's expanded contract with Pfizer will kick in next month, Procurement Minister Anita Anand said, with the first four million of the new eight million doses arriving in May. She said two million more doses will come in June and July, respectively, and Pfizer is also moving another 400,000 doses from the third quarter into June. Canada's initial shipment of approximately 300,000 doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine will also arrive during the week of April 27, Anand said, to be delivered to the provinces at the beginning of May. The increased Pfizer doses help offset another production delay from Moderna, which will ship 650,000 doses of its vaccine by the end of the month, instead of the expected 1.2 million. The company also told Canada that one to two million doses of the 12.3 million scheduled for delivery in the second quarter may be delayed until the third quarter. "We are disappointed, and while we understand the challenges facing suppliers in the current global market for vaccines, our government will continue to press Moderna to fulfil its commitments," Anand said in a statement. Moderna said in a statement there has been a "shortfall" in estimated doses from the European supply chain, and that it will be "making adjustments" to expected delivery quantities in a number of countries, including Canada. Trudeau said he was "concerned" about the delays and production challenges facing Moderna, but added that Pfizer has been reliable. He said its doses will make up the "bulk of vaccines being given to Canadians in the coming months." Quebec reported 1,527 new COVID cases on Friday while Manitoba reported 127. New Brunswick had nine new cases and Newfoundland had three. Meanwhile, the CMA released a statement calling for "extraordinary" measures, including sharing provincial health-care resources and dropping the per capita approach to vaccine distribution, to address the COVID-19 crisis unfolding in several provinces. The CMA said it wants the federal government to consider re-prioritizing its vaccine distribution strategy to focus on urgent areas instead of distributing to provinces on a per capita basis. Trudeau said conversations with provinces about vaccine allocation have been "ongoing." "We're happy to continue to work with the provinces on adjusting (vaccine distribution) as the provinces see necessary," he said. This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 16, 2021. Melissa Couto Zuber, The Canadian Press

  • Vaccine remains out of reach for many in COVID-19 'hot spot'

    Michael Brisson hasn't been vaccinated against COVID-19, but it hasn't been for lack of trying. The 66-year-old lives in Emerald Woods, the neighbourhood with Ottawa's second-highest rate of COVID-19. Tucked just south of Bank Street and Hunt Club Road, local landmarks include a mosque, a Shawarma Station and Sawmill Creek Elementary School, named after the narrow stream that flows through the community. The neighbourhood falls within the K1T postal code, and has therefore been designated by the province as a COVID-19 "hot spot," where since last week residents as young as 50 have been eligible to receive a dose at one of the city's public vaccination clinics. But when Brisson, who doesn't own a computer, tried calling Ottawa Public Health (OPH) last week to book an appointment, he gave up after waiting nearly an hour on the phone. "I've gone to several pharmacies nearby, and they don't provide the service. And they're telling me, 'Well, go online, go online," Brisson said. "Well, I don't have online." Michael Brisson, 66, says he hasn't been able to book a vaccination appointment.(Jean Delisle/CBC ) Already at high risk due to his age, Brisson lives in a 12-storey apartment building where he said not everyone keeps their distance, especially in the elevator. Brisson doesn't own a car, and said even if he had been able to book an appointment, it would take him an hour to get to the nearest OPH vaccination clinic by bus. "I don't have time and it's inconvenient," he said. Immigrants, single parents According to the Ottawa Neighborhood Study, 51 per cent of the 5,600 people who call Emerald Woods are racialized, predominantly immigrants and refugees. Five per cent don't speak English or French, and the median annual income is less than $25,000. One-quarter of the neighbourhood's residents are single parents, many with school-age children who are suddenly home indefinitely. Sumaiya Hirsi, 11, worried about infecting her family after two classmates tested positive for COVID-19 at the end of March.(Jean Delisle/CBC) Sumaiya Hirsi, 11, hasn't attended class since March 29, when her entire Grade 5 class at Sawmill Creek Elementary School was sent home after two students tested positive for COVID-19. Hirsi, who shares a four-bedroom rowhouse on Bridle Path Drive with her mother, her aunt and four older siblings, worried about infecting her family. "I had to stay upstairs until I got my test [results] back. I could have infected my mom and her daycare. My siblings all work," said Hirsi, who normally shares a bed with her mother, a child-care worker. Stephanie Mitra, 33, who has lived in Emerald Woods for four years, said the neighbourhood's high infection rate comes as no surprise to her. "I think there are a lot of younger and ... essential workers, people who don't necessarily have sick leave or even have the ability to stay home," Mitra observed. Stephanie Mitra says many of her neighbours are essential workers who don't have sick pay.(Jean Delisle/CBC) Mosque steps in OPH said it's using neighborhood census data to improve access to vaccines for residents who have been disproportionately affected by the virus, and in the case of Emerald Woods, has enlisted the help of the neighbourhood mosque. Masjid ar-Rahmah — the Mosque of Mercy — has previously hosted virtual seminars with doctors to answer residents' questions and concerns, and is currently a COVID-19 testing site. Now, in a neighbourhood with no community health centre of its own, the mosque will become a vaccination site during the holy month of Ramadan. Hindia Mohamoud, executive director of the Ottawa Local Immigration Partnership, said that's the kind of initiative that will get results, because people in the city's hardest-hit neighbourhoods are often least likely to have the time or resources to get vaccinated. "The focus on hot spots doesn't necessarily result in vaccination of the most vulnerable," Mohamoud said. "We have to bring the vaccination to them." (CBC)

  • Can you gather with 5 friends outside? The short answer: no

    OK, we get it. Ontario's guidelines on social gatherings are not clear, and perhaps at times to the benefit of those who want to skirt around rules. Can you gather with five friends outdoors to exercise? In your backyard? At a park? Or is it just five members of your household? There's no wonder people are confused, because three different documents from the Ontario government point out different rules and recommendations. According to the province's official order in council, a gathering can only happen when it's allowed by law. The legal document doesn't mention the five-people rule at all. Neither does an Ontario government news release dated April 7, which states that people are asked only to leave their homes for essential purposes. But then there's province's information web page called, "COVID-19 public health measures and advice", which simply states under its events and social gathering limits: "Outside: 5 people." Here's some clarity this week from Stephen Warner, spokesperson for the Ontario solicitor general's office: "individuals can gather in groups [of] no more than five people, only for the reasons enumerated in the stay at home order." What are those reasons? According to the province's rules, the outdoor gathering limit of five people applies to organized public events or social gatherings that are allowed by law — wedding receptions, for example. Funerals and other religious gatherings are also reasons people are allowed to gather. Indoor rules for these events are capped at 15 per cent capacity of the space. For wedding ceremonies, funerals and other religious gatherings, strangers or friends can gather as long as they physically distance and wear masks. Wedding receptions, however, are capped at five people outside. There are more fine-print essential reasons you may possibly need to gather during the order, but the main rule is: stay at home. Don't gather with friends You can't gather with anyone you don't live with indoors. If you live alone, you can gather with one other household indoors or outdoors. For more clarity, the province states people can exercise outdoors with household members within their communities. That means your household members can gather in a group of five outdoors, whether that's for exercise or in your own backyard — but not with friends. The regulations state you can still use outdoor areas such as backyards or balconies, or common areas like building courtyards or lobbies if they're open. After reading this, if you need more certainty, here's what the province's legal order document says: "For greater certainty, nothing in this order permits an individual to gather with other individuals if the gathering is not permitted by law."

  • Saint John man gets 8 1/2 years for stabbing his drinking buddy and leaving him to die

    A 20-year-old Saint John man who stabbed his friend six times and left him on the side of the road to bleed to death was sentenced Friday to 8 1/2 years in prison. Tyler Gamblin was originally charged with second-degree murder in the death of 29-year-old Nathan Gallant but pleaded guilty in January to the lesser charge of manslaughter. Before sentencing Gamblin on Friday, Justice Darrell Stephenson said the attack on Gallant was without "significant provocation." He described it as an "abrupt, brutal, largely unprovoked attack." He also pointed out that Gamblin's immediate reaction was to try to conceal the body and then flee the scene. Stephenson said he also accepts the defence position "that things have not been easy for Mr. Gamblin." He noted that Gamblin didn't have a stable childhood, has been diagnosed with a number of learning problems and can't read or write. The judge gave Gamblin credit for pleading guilty and for apologizing to Gallant's family last week during a sentencing hearing. Members of Nathan Gallant's family leave the Saint John courthouse last week. From left are his aunt, sister, father and grandmother. (Roger Cosman/CBC) Although the family did not want to be interviewed, they emailed a statement to CBC on Friday afternoon. They insist that Gallant and Gamblin were not friends. "Friends do not kill each other. Friends help one another. "No amount of time will bring Nathan back but what hurts more than only getting 8.5 years is Nathan never made it to his 30th birthday, and Tyler will be walking the streets again before the age of 30. Is that justice?" Nathan Gallant's family said all he wanted in life was to find his soul mate and have a family.(Submitted by Kyla Gallant) They also said Gallant's family and friends meant the world to him. "All Nathan wanted in life was to find his soul mate and have a family. He wanted to be a father more than anything." Victim left in the ditch The court heard that Gamblin stabbed Gallant six times in the ribs, dragged him by his arms into the woods, and asked his ex-girlfriend to help hide the body — all after a day of drinking and "smoking weed" together. According to an agreed statement of facts, Gamblin was at home with his ex-girlfriend Bryanna McGaghey on July 8, when he contacted Gallant to ask if they could hang out. At around 5:30 p.m., the trio, along with Bailey Basque, who was driving, headed to Fairfield, near St. Martins. Along the way, Gamblin and Gallant were "bickering and arguing" about McGaghey, according to the statement of facts. While at their destination, they started getting physical and play wrestling. Nathan Gallant, 29, was stabbed six times in the ribs. (Submitted by Kyla Gallant) On the way back, Gallant, who was in the front seat, was "intensely staring" and smiling at McGaghey, who was seated in the rear, behind the driver. Gamblin told police on July 23 that Gallant was harassing McGaghey. When Gallant continued, Gamblin said he "snapped" and stabbed him. Neither McGaghey nor Basque saw it happen, but Basque pulled over because of the arguing and told everyone to get out of the vehicle. Basque drove off to get help. When he returned, he found Gallant's body in the ditch. Gamblin hid in the woods that night and eluded police for 15 days before being arrested in Woodstock with the help of a Crime Stoppers tip.

  • Castro era in Cuba to end as Raul confirms he's retiring

    HAVANA (Reuters) -Raul Castro confirmed he was handing over the leadership of the all-powerful Cuban Communist Party to a younger generation at its congress that kicked off on Friday, ending six decades of rule by himself and older brother Fidel. Castro had said at the last party congress in 2016 it would be the last one led by the "historic generation" who fought in the Sierra Maestra to topple a U.S.-backed dictator in the 1959 leftist revolution. "I believe fervently in the strength and exemplary nature and comprehension of my compatriots, and as long as I live I will be ready with my foot in the stirrups to defend the fatherland, the revolution and socialism," Castro told hundreds of party delegates gathered at a convention center in Havana.

  • For Wabush mayor, being left out of Air Canada plans is just history repeating

    Wabush mayor Ron Barron said he'd rather not see Air Canada return to the region.(Darryl Dinn/CBC) While news of a bailout package for Air Canada is being greeted with relief in some parts of Labrador, others aren't so jovial. For Ron Barron, mayor of Wabush — which has not been listed as one of the reinstated services, and instead will be served through interline agreements with third-party regional carriers — it makes no difference whether the airline returns or not. "We've seen this in the past from them, that they've pulled out of here before," he said. "But when we had other airlines here that set up shop — regional carriers — they drove them out of here by undercutting them." On Tuesday, the federal government announced a $5.4-billion bailout package for Air Canada, which in exchange has agreed to refund customers, keep jobs and bring back regional air services that were suspended last year. But Barron said carriers like PAL Airlines and Pascan Aviation continued to serve Wabush despite the pandemic, something he's disappointed the nation's largest airline didn't do. Labrador West Chamber of Commerce president Toby Leon says the real barrier for the community is cost, rather than availability. (Darryl Dinn/CBC) "They just cut and run, and that's not acceptable," said Barron. "Personally, I hope they don't come back. Let's get somebody else in here." Toby Leon, the president of the Labrador West Chamber of Commerce, likewise doesn't see the return of Air Canada as a solution to the region's needs. In the midst of the pandemic, Leon said, they'll have to trust Ottawa's judgment in the bailout but Labrador West has long been overlooked. "There's never been a great solution to our air link to the province and the rest of the world," he said. "I don't think Air Canada has ever really been a great asset to us." Goose Bay Airport Corporation CEO Goronwy Price says they're happy to see the return of Air Canada service. (John Gaudi/CBC) Leon said the region needs to look elsewhere for a better solution to what he says is more an issue of cost than availability. "There's never been a huge problem in the interim with getting flights; it's always been the price," said Leon. While Leon would happily see the return of Air Canada to Labrador West, if only for their seat sales, he said there needs to be a more long-term solution. "Whether that's the Q400s that PAL bought being more inexpensive to operate, and being able to compete, or this charter coming in and putting pressure on," he said. "I know that there are opportunities out there." Welcome news for airport CEO But for Goronwy Price, the general manager and CEO of the Goose Bay Airport, the bailout package is a welcome development. The loss of Air Canada flights, Price said, had a substantial impact on the airport and the community. "In 2020, we saw a 60 per cent reduction in our traffic," he said. "In 2019, we had 160,000 passengers go through our airport. In the year in 2020, we only had 69,000." Due to the fixed costs of maintaining the airport at operational capacity, said Price, they lost between 60 and 80 per cent of their revenue throughout 2020, depending on the area of operations. As a regional airport they're thankful to have had two other carriers, he said, but are eagerly anticipating the return of Air Canada services. "The fact that Air Canada has come out and said that they are reinitiating their routes is a very positive sign for us." Air Canada declined an interview request from CBC's Labrador Morning, but said in an emailed statement that discussions are ongoing with all regional carriers. Read more from CBC Newfoundland and Labrador