Cookout raises funds for Moore County firefighter battling COVID-19

Hundreds of community members gathered for a cookout Thursday to raise money for a Moore County fire battling COVID-19.

Posted 5:05 p.m. Mar 5, 2021 — Updated 11:20 p.m. Mar 5, 2021

Jessica Patrick

, WRAL multiplatform producer

PINEHURST, N.C. — Hundreds of community members gathered for a cookout Thursday to raise money for a Moore County firefighter battling COVID-19.

John Wilson, who works for fire departments in Southern Pines, Aberdeen and Pinebluff, was recently released from the ICU after fighting coronavirus for more than a month.

Wilson, who tested positive for coronavirus on Jan. 7 before spending more than 40 days in the ICU, is making progress but still has a long road to recovery.

All the money raised during Thursday's fundraiser at Pinehurst Surgical Clinic will go directly to Wilson's family to pay his medical bills.

Close to 1,000 people showed up to support the Wilson family.

Wilson, who is 6 feet 3 inches and 240 pounds, is lovingly referred to by Southern Pines residents as "Big John."

His wife, Jessica Wilson, said other than his high blood pressure, Wilson was a healthy man before getting COVID-19. During his time in the ICU, Wilson suffered blood clots in his lungs. He was heavily sedated for weeks and lost 45 pounds before he was released from the ICU on Feb. 25.

WRAL reporter Bryan Mims contributed to this report.

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