Valley woman makes miraculous recovery from COVID-19 at CRMC

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- A last-ditch effort to save a critically ill Valley woman from the coronavirus led to what her family called a miraculous recovery.

There were tears of joy for Sophie Zapata and her family.

After beating COVID-19, she had one thing on her mind.

"...just holding my babies and just being with my family because it's been over 60 days, especially since we're so close," she said.

Sophie was surrounded by family as she was wheeled out of Community Regional Medical Center.

This was the moment the family had been waiting for.

They said it was a miracle Sophie survived and they all thanked hospital staff.

"When you grow through it and you know what it feels like and you can't be there with them, it's hard. It's emotional," said her father Ruben Perez.

Sophie was transferred to CRMC from another hospital.

"We are a regional resource for ECMO," said Dr. Timothy Evans from the hospital.

ECMO is a heart-lung process where blood is drained and then run through a machine which adds oxygen.

"We felt her mortality, the likelihood that she would die, was essentially 100% if we didn't get her on very quickly," said the doctor.

The ECMO treatment helped Sophie reunite with her family.

"I tried to be strong. Been crying but the staff is awesome. I just prayed," said Sophie.

And her prayers were answered.