A Prince George's County man is back in the U.S. after his wife was able to secure a medical flight to bring him home from China.
Kevin Scriber II was teaching in China when he became severely ill. According to his wife, Naliyah Kaya, his colleagues found him partially paralyzed in his apartment.
He was rushed to the hospital, where he became fully paralyzed and fell into a coma. Scriber was diagnosed with two overlapping autoimmune disorders, Kaya said.
Kaya got an expedited visa and flew to China to be with her husband, but she wanted him to come back to the U.S. for treatment, citing communication issues with doctors in China. She said Kaiser Permanente denied her request and told her that her husband was receiving adequate care in China.
“Kaiser has put me in the position of leaving my husband, who is unable to move much of his body, speak or open his eyes beyond a few seconds, alone in a country with his passport (and a visa expiring in June) and no way of receiving or paying for his daily necessities and with doctors who find it difficult to communicate with him and will not be able to have me sign the necessary documents in a timely manner for further treatment to occur,” Kaya wrote in a change.org petition.
Kaya claimed victory on Wednesday after Kaiser reversed its decision. The couple has since flown back to the U.S.
“I want to express my deepest gratitude to Kaiser Permanente for reversing their decision and getting us safely home,” Kaya wrote in an update. “It took multiple countries and states assisting us in various ways (China, Canada, Japan, Alaska and Maryland) as well as all of the international petition and donation supporters working collectively to transport us back and we will be forever grateful to all involved.”
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Scriber is still in the ICU at a local hospital, but his wife said he's showing signs of improvement.
He's facing six to 12 months of recovery.
