On October 7, 2009 life changed dramatically for Shiro resident John Mathes. It was the day the 38-year-old was rushed to the College Station Medical Center after contracting pneumonia from the H1N1 virus.

"How do you go from being home with your husband to a month later being in the ICU and being told that it's possible he wasn't going to make it several times," said Crystal Mathes, wife of John Mathes.

John's prognosis wasn't promising. Just days after ER physicians at a Navasota hospital sent him home with antibiotics after diagnosing him with pneumonia, John lay in a hospital bed fighting for his life.

"We actually didn't expect survival that night. I spoke to his wife Crystal that night and gave her the poor prognosis," said Rajesh Harrykissoon, a physician with the College Station Center for Pulmonary and Sleep Disorders.

Miraculously, John made it through the night. Crystal said she never gave up hope that John would recover, and kept a journal of his progress. She also wrote down her feelings about seeing him fight for his life daily. Crystal said she would start each journal entry with "you're still alive." Crystal said the happiest day was October 28, when she brought her 14 and 16-year-old to the hospital.

"I told them that I had a surprise for them and we got up and I said 'say hi to your dad' and he opened his eyes and looked at them," said Crystal.

In early November, John was released from the hospital. Six weeks after the odds of John living were stacked against him, he took his first steps to walking away. He is still taking medication for pain, but Crystal says he is on the road to recovery.

Family and friends have organized a benefit to offset John's medical costs that are estimated to be several $100,000.
The benefit will be held Saturday November 21 in Roans Prairie in Grimes County. The benefit will be in the Tan Your Hide parking lot at the corner of Highway 30 and Highway 90.

The family has also set up a website for donations. See the link below.