VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. — In March 2020, the World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 outbreak a global pandemic.

In the United States, many battled the virus in hospitals, hoping to see their families again.

Among them was Jim Landsman. Today, he spends five days a week running on the shores of New Smyrna Beach.

He runs every morning and then meets his wife of 33 years, Gayle Landsman, for coffee on their balcony. He said he appreciates this routine more than ever, as five years ago it was all stripped away from him after he was hospitalized with COVID-19.

“I walked through the door that afternoon and didn’t come back for a month,” said Landsman.

Shortly after being admitted, doctors told Gayle that Jim needed a ventilator.

“So we would FaceTime with him, talk to him, but never know if it was going to be the last time,” said Gayle. “And he obviously wasn’t responding to us.”

For 11 days, all she could do was wait and advocate for him, as he fought while in a coma.

“It was just frightening to think that all the plans and the dreams you had might not happen,” said Gayle.

But finally, he turned a corner, and while Jim was disoriented, he was awake.

“We found out later from the ICU nurse. She told us that I was actually the first one who survived in that hospital, going into the ICU being vented and coming out that everybody else died,” he said.

After 28 days in the ICU, he finally could return home. Jim said he still gets emotional thinking about the hugs he wasn’t sure he’d ever get to feel again. 

But his fight wasn’t over. After losing over 30 pounds, he needed to re-learn to walk and go through six months of physical therapy.

“He’s a runner,” said Gayle. “To see him sitting in a chair and his legs are, you know, like this, was crazy.”

Recovering mentally was a process, too.

“I know I wasn’t fully with it for a while,” Jim said. “I mean, it was just everything was emotional, everything was just trying to pull the pieces back together, you know, ask yourself why you survived and all these people didn’t.”

With time and hard work, he’s back to where he was. He even attempted a marathon last year.

“The bad news is I didn’t finish, but the good news that I made it 19 miles,” he said. “So, you know, I’m happy with that. So, I who would have thought?”

While it was the hardest thing they’ve gone through, Jim and Gayle Landsman say they never want to forget 2020, as it shifted their perspectives forever.

“I mean, essentially at 58, I got to hit the reset button,” Jim said “You realize what’s important, and things get really small. And when things get small, your focus gets clear. I think I came out clearer than ever my whole life about what matters to me.”

Now, they are just weeks away from retirement, excited to embark on a future that was in jeopardy during the pandemic.

“I’m ecstatic that he’s here and we get to do our life together,” said Gayle.