Webster nursing home celebrating a COVID-free nursing home

WEBSTER, Mass. — As the death toll globally marks 2 million coronavirus deaths, one local nursing home in Webster is celebrating being COVID-19 free. The facility was COVID-free for months, and was hit hard in December. Now, residents finally got a chance to celebrate, and Boston 25 news caught a special moment you don’t want to miss.

“Aww, I love you, what’s it like seeing your wife,” are the moments captured on cell phone video.

After 6 months, Suzanne Grochowski is seeing her husband for the first time.

“We’ve been together 44 years, and this is the first time we have been apart,’ Grochowski said.

Her 81-year-old husband, Francis, has been hospitalized with COVID-19, not knowing if he would ever see his loved ones again.

“I just never thought I would see him. I made my mind up. He’s 15 years older than me,” Grochowski said.

Friday morning, Brookside Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center in Webster threw a COVID-free party for all of the residents and staff members.

“Today is a happy day,” said Felicia O’Keeffe, the director of nursing.

The nursing home was COVID-free for 10 months, then December rolled around and claimed the lives of 10 residents.

“We were in such dire straits,” O’Keeffe said. “We are so thankful for the national guard.”

“We were able to stay off the virus for 10 months. The bottom fell out, we weren’t doing anything different,” said Mark Presutti, the administrator of Brookside Rehab.

Fast forward to January, there was light at the end of the tunnel.

Healthcare workers ripped down the makeshift walls of the COVID-19 floor and celebrated being COVID-19 free.

“It feels like it was impossible when it started,” O’Keeffe said. “Our staff pulled it all together.”

After getting vaccinated early Friday morning, staff, and residents who just recovered from COVID-19 bundled up in the cold and held up signs. They released balloons in honor of those who passed away, and some even danced in their wheelchairs.

“They are all very good to me. The nurses. That’s how I feel,” said Earl Burrows, an 85-year-old.

“The prayer chain has been working,” Grochowski said.

Grochowski said she wants everyone who is going through a tough time to have faith. Once her husband recovers, she plans on taking him to Aruba. But, for now, the virus is still here and health officials remind everyone to keep protecting themselves.

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