TORONTO -- A Canadian Broadway star who lost one of his legs and had been in a coma for weeks due to a COVID-19 infection has finally awakened in hospital.
Nick Cordero of Hamilton, Ont. has been in the intensive care unit at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles since March 31, where he had been on a ventilator and unconscious.
On Wednesday, Cordero鈥檚 family received word that he is emerging from the coma.
鈥淲e were pretty excited, I have to say,鈥� Cordero鈥檚 mother, Lesley Cordero, told 麻豆影视 Channel. 鈥淲e had an inkling of it for a couple of days, but it wasn鈥檛 until the doctor officially said: 鈥榊es, he is conscious now鈥� that we could actually trust it and believe it.鈥�
Lesley said doctors told the family that Cordero is in 鈥渟table鈥� condition and is still being monitored.
鈥淚t鈥檚 all about moving forward and recovery and that鈥檚 the first time we鈥檝e heard about that, so that鈥檚 very positive,鈥� she said.
Cordero was nominated for a Tony Award in 2014 for his performance in 鈥淏ullets Over Broadway.鈥� His wife, Amanda Kloots, said that "he is awake," but is still very weak.
"Even closing his eyes, takes it out of him," she said. "They're waiting for him to regain strength, of course, time and recovery will help with that and then eventually (physical therapy) will help him get stronger."
Shortly after Cordero鈥檚 condition began to turn for the worse, Kloots began a social media campaign called 鈥�#WakeUpNick,鈥� where family, friends and fans are encouraged to share positive messages and performances of Cordero鈥檚 songs.
鈥淲e were stunned by the whole thing, but it鈥檚 amazing, it鈥檚 so incredible,鈥� Lesley said.
Lesley also added that the hashtag has now shifted to 鈥�#HeIsWoke.鈥�
Kloots said previously that due to the COVID-19 infection, her husband鈥檚 lungs have become 鈥渟everely damaged鈥� to the point where they look 鈥渁lmost like he's been a smoker for 50 years.鈥�
Lesley said she and the family were initially shocked as her son鈥檚 condition worsened, but they鈥檝e since had time to digest what has happened.
鈥淔or us it feels almost normal,鈥� she said. 鈥淣ick will get a prosthetic and Nick will live a full life. Nick does not know this yet, so we鈥檙e kind of dreading that.鈥�
Due to the border restrictions between Canada and the United States, Lesley has not been able to visit her son in California and said it鈥檚 鈥渁nyone鈥檚 guess鈥� as to when exactly she will be able to.
