Susan G. Komen LA Director Recovering From COVID-19, Wife Remains In ICU

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) – The executive director of the Susan G. Komen Los Angeles chapter is recovering after coming down with coronavirus. However, his wife remains hospitalized with the disease.

Mark Pilon, 67, told CBS2 Tuesday that he is out of the hospital, but his wife, Tina, remains in the ICU at Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center in Burbank.

Pilon says his wife was brought in two days after he was admitted. He says she has some preexisting health issues, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

"She's got COPD, she's got some other underlying issues," Pilon said.

Pilon says the illness came on quickly for him a few weeks ago. He first noticed he was losing his sense of taste, then he started getting headaches and a dry cough. Both eventually tested positive for COVID-19.

"By Saturday and Sunday, we both felt really, really horrible," Pilon said. "I've never been that sick in my life."

Early last week, he called an ambulance and was taken to the ICU with pneumonia.

"Then when they brought her in two days later, that's when my fear level catapulted up quite a few steps," Pilon said.

Pilon was treated with malaria drugs.

"They put me on the malaria drug six days ago," Pilon said. "They just put her on three days ago."

He was released from the ICU after being without a fever for three full days.

The couple have been together for 40 years. Pilon says that due to the quarantine protocols, he is forced to stay home and cannot be with her.

"Not being able to hold onto her hand or give her any solace or any dispelling of any of the fears that she has," Pilon said.

As of Tuesday, L.A. County had reported a total of 3,011 coronavirus cases and 54 deaths from the disease.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, COVID-19 — the disease caused by the coronavirus — is spread from person-to-person through close contact, usually within 6 feet, and mainly via respiratory droplets when an infected person coughs or sneezes.

Symptoms include fever, cough and shortness of breath. People are likely most contagious when they are most symptomatic. Coronavirus can also be spread by touching contaminated surfaces and then touching your mouth, nose and eyes.

Susan G. Komen is a worldwide nonprofit organization dedicated to finding a cure for breast cancer.