Retired National Hockey League goalie Manny Legace admits he’s a stubborn guy – not unlike his father or his brother. But lucky for him so is his wife, Giana, who insisted he go to the hospital to see if what he had was just a cough.
He was wrong and she was right. It was COVID-19.
Now he’s grateful not only for his wife’s determination but for the timely care he received from the team of doctors and nurses at Henry Ford Macomb Hospital, who he credits with saving his life after testing positive with COVID-19.
“I can’t say enough great things about what Henry Ford Macomb did for me,” said Legace. “Every nurse and doctor in the ER (Emergency Room) and ICU (Intensive Care Unit) who took care of me, were absolutely first-class, amazing people.”
Legace, 47, played professional hockey for 18 years including 11 seasons in the NHL. He wore the uniform of the Los Angeles Kings, St. Louis Blues and Carolina Hurricanes. He was also a member of the Detroit Red Wings’ 2002 Stanley Cup championship squad and while in St. Louis was named to the 2008 NHL All-Star Game.
Now the Novi resident is the current goaltending coach for the NHL’s Columbus Blue Jackets.
Shortly before his team started its training camp, Legace and Giana began experiencing COVID-19 symptoms.
As Legace explained during a Zoom interview with members of the media, while Giana’s symptoms were mild and short-lived his condition lingered.
“Her cough went way but mine didn’t,” said Legace, who remained convinced that it was nothing to worry about.
However, by Labor Day, when Giana saw that his condition was not getting better but appeared to be worse she reached out to Dr. Anthony Colucci, a close friend of the family who also happens to be the medical director at Henry Ford Macomb Hospital’s emergency department.
“When I talked to Manny’s wife, he was struggling with his breathing,” said Colucci, who recommended she call 911 and get her husband to the nearest hospital. Instead, Giana insisted on making the hour drive from their home to the Clinton Township hospital. Legace agreed to go but only to rule out COVID once and for all.
Colucci met him in the ER.
“He was on the cusp of being intubated by the time he arrived for treatment,” Colucci said.
With Legace’s oxygen saturation level at 77%, Colucci immediately put him on oxygen treatment. He also received remdesivir, an antiviral medicine that works to stop the virus from spreading.
Though friends for many years, Colucci insists his treatment of Legace was all part of the hospital’s protocol for patients who are suspected to have COVID-19, which included imaging tests that revealed blood clots in his lungs. It was then that he was admitted to the intensive care unit. He was released from the hospital on Sept. 12.
Dr. Nasir Husain, M.D., and chief of infectious disease at Henry Ford Macomb, said Legace was very sick but was fortunate to not require a ventilator and recommends to anyone experiencing COVID-like symptoms, especially those with existing medical conditions who may be at higher risk, to seek medical care immediately.
Blood clots are a common symptom of the disease.
It’s also a condition inherent to the Legace family.
“My dad had issues with blood clots,” said Legace, who posted a message of gratitude on his Instagram channel after returning home – thanking everyone involved including his wife and staff at Henry Ford Macomb.
“My words cannot express how grateful I am to my wife GI, Henry Ford Macomb Hospital, Dr. Colucci and Dr. Husain and the entire ICU unit, who are an amazing staff,” he said. “Thank you for #savedmylife.”
Legace also warned people of the seriousness of COVID-19.
“This disease is not a joke,” said Legace, and while he and his wife have not been vaccinated it’s not because they are against it.
“We are not non-vaxxers,” he said.
His first shot was scheduled for Sept. 1, but he got sick. Both of his kids have also been vaccinated but Giana had some health issues she has been dealing with for the past five years, so it was more of a wait and see situation. He is now expected to receive it in about 8 weeks, per CDC guidelines. The CDC recommends vaccination because it better protects people after having COVID-19.
Since leaving the hospital, Legace said he feels sluggish.
He also lost 30 pounds and understands that it will take time to get over the effects of COVID-19. But Colucci expects him to fully recover. So, he is confident and being the stubborn guy that he is, determined to make use of the weight room he has access to as the goalie coach for the Blue Jackets.
As an NHL goalie for the Detroit Red Wings, Legace showed no fear in stopping a hockey puck traveling toward the net at 100 mph but once he realized what COVID-19 was doing to his body even he was frightened.
“I was extremely afraid, especially when they found the blood clot,” Legace told The Macomb Daily. “I was very lucky to make a lot of saves in my career — but Henry Ford Macomb — made the biggest save of my life.”
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September 28, 2021 at 07:49PM
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