North Texas couple that contracted COVID-19 while in Cancun, Mexico set to return home Monday
CARROLLTON, Texas - Travel is one of the many industries coming back to life in time for the Mother's Day holiday, but one North Texas couple found out the hard way that COVID-19 can disrupt the best made plans, and at the worst possible time.
What started out as a three-day weekend trip, turned into a 14-day quarantine trip for a Carrollton couple who tested positive for COVID-19 in Mexico.
After a long two weeks, the couple has been cleared to fly home Monday evening.
Sandra and Sam Philips flew to Cancun for a friend's wedding two weeks ago.
Two hours before the ceremony, the couple took their COVID-19 tests in order to be able to get back into the United States.
Their results came back positive.
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Neither of the Philips are vaccinated.
Sam Philips started to struggle to breathe and even spent time in a hospital in Mexico.
Now, Sunday is the Philips’ last day in Mexico, and they got to spend their first few moments outside in two weeks on Sunday.
"Every time I lay down, I choke. It’s like breathing through a straw. I get coughing spasms and I run out of breath. I can’t lie down because I feel like I am drowning in my own fluids," Sam said. "We all make mistakes. Be kind to one another, be forgiving, be responsible, and when you make a mistake like in my case, I made a mistake, I admit it, turn around, and don’t do it again."
According to State Department guidelines, anyone returning to the U.S. from an international trip must show proof of a negative COVID-19 test or proof of recovery from COVID-19 before boarding a plane headed to the U.S.
And the couple said this trip has opened their eyes up to traveling right now, as well as passing up the vaccine.
Once Sam gets back Monday, he said his first thing to do is go see a doctor due to his lingering breathing effects.