DETROIT (WXYZ) — Wayne County Sheriff Benny Napoleon is still in the ICU at the hospital and has been on a ventilator since Friday. His family says they are still holding strong, thanking the community for that strength.
"I appreciate it," said Tiffani Jackson, Napoleon's daughter. "I feel your prayers. They are working.”
The family gathered with the community outside the Wayne County Sheriff's Department for a vigil on Sunday, praying for the sheriff to recover.
"They have since been able to keep his oxygen levels up and keep him comfortable and that’s the goal," Jackson said.
Napoleon has been hospitalized for more than a week.
“He was encouraged and ultimately he was an intricate part in deciding to go on the ventilator, because he wanted to do anything necessary to get him well,” Jackson said.
Jackson said her father was still able breathe on his own, but the ventilator would help him save energy to fight the virus.
“The virus is very, very viscous but he was determined not to be defeated by COVID-19,” she said.
With the sheriff still in the ICU, the department told the crowd they won’t skip a beat in his absence.
The support from them, and the entire community is what the family says keeps them going.
“My heart is just full," Jackson said. "I'm overwhelmed at the support from not just the community but the faith based community as well.”