Shirley Horton sobbed as she threw her arms around her husband, Ken, as he left the Mediclinic Durbanville in Cape Town following his treatment for Covid-19.
A row of hospital staff applauded as Ken Horton, 68, was pushed to the entrance in a wheelchair.
He was given a little gift bag to take home by Christine Taylor, Mediclinic Durbanville hospital general manager.
A video captures the moment of relief for the Hortons, as they became among the first families in South Africa to have to deal with the virus that suddenly changed the world.
But after a marathon 35 days, he is now among the 4 357 in South Africa who have recovered from the virus so far.
“You’ve been very good to me, I thank you very much,” said Horton as he was wheeled down the passage.
On Monday, Health Minister Zweli Mkhize announced that 206 of the 10 652 people who tested positive for Covid-19, had died.
The first death associated with the coronavirus was at the Mediclinic Durbanville in March, bursting the bubble that South Africa might have been spared the worst of the virus because of its early lockdown measures.
As Horton rounded the corner at the hospital, he was overwhelmed by the reception.
“Whose idea was this?” he asked.
After winding his way through the hospital’s corridor, his wife, Shirley, took his hand, and then put her head up against him and sobbed.
His daughter, Lorraine van Rensburg, said it was a “very emotional” time for the family.
Van Rensburg told News24 they have no idea how he contracted the virus as he did not travel and was not in contact with anybody who had it.
But she is relieved that he is out of danger and is extremely grateful to family, friends and hospital staff for the support.
“Today I am so proud, extremely happy and blessed. After 35 days in hospital fighting this nasty Covid-19 virus, my dad is finally home. This has not been an easy 35 days for us as a family. We have prayed and cried so much during this time,” she wrote on her social media timeline.
Mr Horton would later write: “It was a total surprise and very emotional but I am thankful to be home. Once again thanks to all the staff and doctors for the wonderful care you have provided for me.”
