‘Please continue praying’: Rutland officer battling COVID-19 in critical condition

WORCESTER, Mass. — A Rutland police officer who’s battling the coronavirus is now on a ventilator and in critical condition, according to his wife.

Detective John Songy has been battling the coronavirus at Saint Vincent Hospital in Worcester since he was admitted on May 2 for shortness of breath.

John’s wife, Joanne Songy, a nurse, also tested positive for the coronavirus, but recovered while self-isolating at home.

Joanne said on Saturday doctors gave John remdesivir, the first medication authorized by the Food and Drug Administration as a COVID-19 therapy, but John’s body rejected the antiviral drug and his liver and kidneys are now failing.

“It is with a heavy heart that I’m posting that John is now in critical condition because of all the struggling he has done and all the medications he has received,” Joanne posted on Facebook Sunday evening. “He has now entered organ failure. The care team states there is nothing that could have been done differently.”

Doctors also intubated John and placed him on a ventilator Saturday because he has been struggling to breathe and his organs failing.

Boston 25 News first shared John’s story last week after he received a plasma infusion following a desperate plea on social media from his wife.

“I am asking all of you to please continue praying,” Joanne said. “He is young, he is strong and he has touched so many lives in a positive way. I believe he has more purpose here and he will pull through.”

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