Stephen A. Smith Reveals How COVID "Almost Took Me Out"

Lots of people are catching COVID these days, including some of your favorite soap stars. And ESPN FIRST TAKE commentator Stephen A. Smith, who recently reprised his role of Brick on GENERAL HOSPITAL, admitted that the virus very nearly killed him. After testing positive for COVID in December, he wound up in the hospital by New Year’s.

“[Doctors] told me, had I not been vaccinated, I wouldn’t be here,” Smith revealed. “That’s how bad I was. I had pneumonia in both lungs, my liver was bad, and it ravaged me to the point where even now I have to monitor my volume, get to the gym every day… I’m still not 100 percent with my lungs, but I’m COVID negative… I’m on the road to recovery.”

Enduring a 103-degree fever every night, waking up with chills, and suffering terrible coughing fits, Smith found himself ringing in the new year from a hospital bed. “If it wasn’t for several doctors, I wouldn’t be here,” he admitted gratefully.

GH Sonny Brick — Smith has been appearing as Brick on GH since 2016.ABC

Smith also took the time to express the importance of wearing a mask. “No matter how you feel about the vaccine, that mask is important,” he explained. “Because you don’t know how the next person is affected. How I’m affected is different from how you were affected.

“Everybody’s different because my sister smokes and she had COVID and she was fine in three to four days,” Smith added. “Me? I don’t smoke and it almost took me out.”

But Smith was grateful to have pulled through and to be able to return to work at ESPN. “I can’t tell you how lucky and sincerely blessed I am to be sitting here with you guys today,” he declared, “because two-and-a-half, three weeks ago, I didn’t know if I was gonna make it.”

Smith’s appearance in the Jan. 17 episode of GH was obviously taped before his COVID ordeal. But hopefully, he’ll also come back to work at the soap again in the near future, because Sonny could really use Brick’s help and advice these days!

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