Final Member Of COVID-Stricken Salem Family Leaves Hospital

SALEM, MA — The final hospitalized member of a Salem family hit hard with coronavirus this fall has been released from the hospital.

Mikayla DeCelle, 12, who had been hospitalized for a month after contracting the virus along with several family members around Thanksgiving, left the hospital for Spaulding Rehab this past week.

"Today is a great day!" said Ashley LeMay, who created a GoFundMe page on the family's behalf that drew nearly $55,000 in donations in December. "Mikayla is headed to Spaulding rehab where she will work on getting stronger and getting back to being independent! This is just another step in the process of the DeCelle family being back together under one roof!

"This journey has been hard for everyone and happening at the start of the holiday season did not help. There is still a long road to full recovery but they are getting there day by day."

Four members of the DeCelle family were stricken by the virus with 39-year-old Mike and his daughter, Mikayla, hospitalized and on oxygen. Erica, who is due with her third child in February, and Kylie, who is in high school, also contracted COVID-19 but had milder symptoms.

"Baby Cameron is about 7 weeks out and we are working very hard to make sure everything is ready for his arrival," LeMay said in her most recent update. "Erica has done great keeping him safe and healthy through this stressful process."

Mike DeCelle, who owns a tow company that did not operate while he was in the hospital because of a lack of staff, was also recently discharged from the hospital.

LeMay had set a fundraising goal of $75,000 with money still needed for Mikayla's rehab and costs as Mike recovers and gets back to his business.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached atScott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)

GoFundMe is a Patch partner.