HAMMOND, Ind. — A 34-year-old Hammond police officer is currently fighting for his life with COVID-19. Sunday evening, his family, friends, and fellow officers came together for a prayer vigil outside North Oaks Hospital in Hammond, where he is currently hospitalized.
"My husband is very critical and he's fighting for his life," Brandi Hidalgo said.
Her husband, Officer Carlos Hidalgo, is a 12 year veteran with the Hammond Police Department. He is also a military veteran and father of five.
"He's been to war twice. God brought him back, God got him home safely. I'm hoping and praying and believing that God will bring him home safely after this as well," Hidalgo said.
She and her husband both tested positive for COVID-19 in late December.
"We got COVID the day after Christmas. We took antibiotics, everyone seemed to get better and then on January 1 we had to call 911. It was very unexpected that it was going to be this outcome and it went down very quickly, he declined very quickly," Hidalgo said.
She was surprised by the severity of the virus since her husband is only 34 years old and healthy.
"Very young and he doesn't have any underlying medical conditions," she said.
After several days in the hospital, his health continued declining and on Thursday the decision was made to put Hidalgo on a ventilator. He's now in the ICU.
"He's fighting for his life. He's fighting for his life," Hidalgo said.
She and Hammond Police Chief Edwin Bergeron organized the prayer vigil outside the hospital Sunday evening. Dozens of police officers, family members, and friends showed up to pray.
'I want prayers. I want us all to join together," Hidalgo said.
"I think prayer is what's going to bring us through things and prayer will help our officer," Bergeron said.
Since the start of the pandemic, several Hammond police officers have been hospitalized with COVID-19, but Chief Bergeron said this is the first time one of his officers has had this severe of a case and had to be put on a ventilator.
Hammond Police ask for prayers for officer battling COVID
The police department posted on its Facebook page that 12-year-veteran Carlos Hidalgo is on a ventilator at a Northshore hospital.