Only on WRAL: Stories of COVID-19 recoveries

Two of those who have recovered spoke exclusively with WRAL News on Friday.

Crystal Strickland was released Friday afternoon at 1:30. A week ago, WRAL News interviewed Strickland while she had the disease and believed she was going to die.

"I'm breathing on my own now," Strickland said Friday. "I'm able to walk now. I'm much, much better."

Strickland is an employee at the Pilgrim's Pride chicken plant in Sanford. She believes she contracted the virus from a co-worker who tested positive.

She said that over the weekend, management from the plant called her to check on her and let her know that she still had her job when she was recovered and ready to return.

"I'm at the point now where I'm even scared to go in there," Strickland said. "If they're not going to shut down for 48 hours and do a thorough cleaning, I feel like I would be putting myself in harm's way by going back.

Chris Baker is a COVID-19 survivor, too. On April 15, he was in intensive care at the hospital fighting for his life.

"My mind was all over the place," he said of the experience. "I thought I was going to die, I had prepared myself to actually check out... but God had other plans for my life."

Those plans included getting back home and going back to normal, and back to normal meant eating some things that he liked.

"She cooked some fried chicken and some cabbage and some dirty rice," Baker said of his wife with a smile. "It was a great meal."