State Rep. Lorenzo Sierra, D-Avondale, was discharged from the hospital Wednesday after fighting an intense case of COVID-19 that at one point required he be intubated.

His wife, Rhonda Cagle, told The Arizona Republic during a phone interview that they were grateful and relieved for the positive outcome. 

“We are elated that Lorenzo has been discharged from the hospital and he is well on his way to making a full and complete recovery from COVID-19,” Cagle said. “We will be here in the Washington D.C. area for him to convalesce until probably the end of the month before he’s cleared to fly home to Arizona.”

Cagle said they would work at her husband’s pace over the next couple of weeks as he undergoes physical and occupational therapy before he’s cleared to board an airplane.

“We are delighted,” Cagle said. “And it is nothing short of miraculous in terms of how quickly has been able to leave the hospital and how quickly he’s recovering.”

The lawmaker and Cagle were visiting family in D.C. when the two began exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19 in late September. A spokesperson for the House Democrats later said Sierra was hospitalized in Washington on Oct. 4 before he was transferred to The Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore where he was intubated.

Cagle said on Oct. 8 that he had been taken off of the ventilator and was breathing on his own. 

The legislator is currently running for reelection to the House.

Over 227,000 cases of COVID-19 have been identified in Arizona and 5,772 people are known to have died of the disease. 

“We are so grateful to the people in Arizona who have reached out and expressed their good wishes and their prayers,” Cagle said. “Arizona is home and the tremendous outpouring of love we have received certainly underscores why we call Arizona home — and we’re grateful.” 

Reach the reporter Perry Vandell at 602-444-2474 or [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @PerryVandell.

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