When Alabama House Minority Leader Anthony Daniels saw the fear in his wife’s eyes last week, it was the first time he thought he might die from COVID-19. It wouldn’t be the last time. Daniels described his two-week battle with COVID during an interview on the Alabama Politics This Week podcast, saying he “really thought it was the end for me.”
“It was terrifying, it truly was,” said Daniels, 38, who is in good physical shape with no underlying health conditions. “When I saw the way my wife looked at me, with the fear she had, that was the worst part. And to be honest with you, there were several days where I thought I might not make it.
“Even today, I’m well past the 10-14 days that they say is the window for this thing and I’m still not right. I struggle going up and down stairs. I still don’t feel well, get tired very easily.”
Daniels said he spent nearly a week in two different hospitals — Huntsville Hospital and UAB — and only got better after receiving the monoclonal antibodies treatment at UAB.
“I really think they need to rethink some of the ways they’re giving that treatment to people, because they’re holding it in a lot of cases for older patients — and that’s good — but sometimes younger folks are struggling just as much,” Daniels said. “It really just depends on each individual. So I think that’s something they should look at.”
In addition to talking about his experience with COVID, Daniels also commented on Wednesday’s armed insurrection attempt at the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington D.C.
Specifically, he took issue with the participation of so many Alabama elected officials in the election challenge and protest, which directly led to the violence. Daniels also praised Alabama Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Alabama, for steering clear of the rhetoric while continuing to do his job for the state.
“I’m sick of this s–t from some (Alabama Republicans),” he said. “Compare what you saw from Mo Brooks to Richard Shelby, a statesman.”
You can listen to the full interview at the Alabama Politics This Week website or on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.
