A Vietnam Veteran who has recovered from several surgeries and COVID-19 was discharged Friday morning from the VA Western New York Healthcare System in Batavia, 222 Richmond Avenue.
72 year old Robert Korzeniewski was transported to the Batavia VA on March 30th along with nine other Veterans from the Buffalo VA on Bailey Avenue.
The group was transported to the Community Living area at Batavia to create more beds in Buffalo for possible COVID-19 patients and to minimize exposure according to David Roll, Chief Nurse Executive with VA WNY Healthcare.
After undergoing several surgeries at the Buffalo VA in December, Korzeniewski says he had to have both legs amputated. After being transferred to Batavia on March 30th, he has not been able to see his family in person until his discharge today. He was diagnosed as positive with COVID-19 in April, however he did not show any symptoms. He completed his quarantine at the end of April and is now negative for COVID-19.
VA staff and personnel gathered outside to celebrate Korzeniewski’s recovery and release from the hospital. His son Robert was there to pick him up and take him to his new senior living home in Amherst.
Korzeniewski says he would not have made it without the care of the staff and doctors at the VA. He says through the grace of God he is still here.
“He overcame a lot of obstacles and so its nice to see him come home now and start his new life,” says his son Robert.
“We are going to celebrate today that he is out, he’s ready to get his life back on track.”
Korzeniewski will celebrate his 73rd birthday next week.