MEDICINE HAT, ALTA. -- The family of a Medicine Hat couple fighting for their lives in a battle with COVID-19 say they are thankful for the outpouring of support from friends and community. They also want people to understand that the pandemic needs to be taken seriously.

“We realize our parents are the minority of which the virus affects this severely, but it can devastate entire families,” said Shelby Denman and step-brother Camron Jangula in a statement to CTV news.

Their parents Donna Mayer and partner Neil Jangula contracted COVID around Christmas, traced back to a visit Neil had with his father John, who was COVID positive and living in an extended care facility.

According to the family Neil was admitted to hospital December 28, 2020, and three days later his dad passed away.

Even though Neil was aware of the passing of his father, he was now in a battle of his own. On January 5 Neil was moved to the Intensive Care Unit, where he was sedated and put on a ventilator, leaving his family in a state of shock, pain, and uncertainty.

During this time Donna also became too ill to remain at home, and was taken to the Medicine Hat hospital where she was also admitted to the ICU.

Last week Shelby posted on her Facebook page “Our families have had a first-class ticket to how horrible this virus can be.”

She pointed out the information posted daily about COVID-19 doesn’t talk about how long, intensive and invasive the treatment can be for those who require ventilation.

“It was awful to walk into the ICU and see our parents in side by side rooms, sedated and paralyzed, with tubes, wires, and IV bags hanging all over. They were unrecognizable the first time we saw them. It was truly heartbreaking,” she wrote.

Friends have launched an online fundraiser to alleviate some of the couple’s stress and help with expenses during what is expected to be a long recovery period.

“We never expected this to get so big or get any sort of media coverage,” said Shelby. “So we are truly overwhelmed with gratitude.”

Shelby and Camron also want people to understand that COVID-19 is not a joke, and it is not “just the flu.”

They acknowledge COVID-19 affects everyone differently, but want to bring awareness to how serious the virus can be, and that for some, the road to recovery will be long and difficult.

“The hospital cannot give us a timeline as to when our parents will be able to return home or live independently again,” said Shelby.

Donna remains in ICU, and while Neil is officially listed among those who have “recovered” from COVID-19.

“Just because you no longer test positive for the virus, you are not necessarily recovered,” added Shelby.

“He is far from recovered. He possibly has months of recovery to do in hospital before he can go home.”

The family said due to the loss of muscle mass from being on the ventilator, both Neil and Donna face a long road ahead of physio, respiratory and mental health recovery.

“COVID-19 is not just two weeks and done,” wrote Shelby. “Its weeks and months of treatment and months of recovery. And even after that your life can be forever changed.”