coronavirus new york city

Coronavirus News: NYC teenager shares his battle with rare illness linked to COVID-19

ByEyewitness News WABC logo

Wednesday, May 20, 2020

NYC teen shares battle with mysterious COVID-19-related illness

Jim Dolan has more on a 14-year-old boy from New York City who is sharing his story after overcoming the mysterious COVID-19 related inflammatory syndrome that's affecting children

NEW YORK CITY (WABC) -- A 14-year-old boy from New York City is sharing his story after overcoming the mysterious COVID-19 related inflammatory syndrome that's affecting children.

Dariana Dyson was a healthy, happy 15-year-old girl. Then suddenly, she was gone.

Dyson is one of four children in the country who died after contracting the mysterious COVID-19 related inflammatory syndrome that has attacked at least 200 children across the country, more than 130 in New York alone.

Jack Ramos, 14, from Manhattan had the syndrome too.

Ramos' heart raced out of control and he was racked with pain and spiked a dangerous 105-degree fever. He was unable to even move his legs.

Ramos was placed in intensive care at New York Presbyterian Hospital. He saw the wrenching fear in his father's eyes.

He says it was the first time he'd ever seen his father get emotional.

It was like that for two full days and just as doctors were preparing to intubate Ramos, he stabilized and got better.

Ramos says he's glad to be home and alive.

New York Mayor Bill de Blasio spoke on Tuesday about a massive electronic summer school program for children who are falling behind academically and said he wasn't sure yet if schools would open up in the fall.

Some of that depends on what they learn about the COVID-19 related syndrome that is attacking children like Jack Ramos.