A husband and wife from Bridgewater who were separated by COVID-19 are taking a big step toward being a family once again.

Dave Greaux is a corrections officer at Rahway State Prison who had to be hospitalized after contracting the virus.

“He got very sick the first week and then exactly one week later, Saturday, his breathing got very shallow, short of breath. He got admitted to Robert Wood Johnson,” says wife Silvanna Greaux.

At the time, it was April 18 and Silvanna was 40 weeks pregnant.

“I had to drive him to the hospital with a mask on. And we couldn’t kiss goodbye or hug goodbye” she says. “Within an hour of dropping him off, the ER physician said he had very severe pneumonia and it did not look optimistic. So, at that point, I became very worried.”

Silvanna says that for a while she was worried that Dave would not be able to meet their new child. But soon she had another worry – she had contracted COVID-19 from her husband.

“Am I going to end up like him, on oxygen? Who’s going to take care of my son? Who’s going to take care of my newborn? Did I give it to my parents who’ve been carrying for my 3-year-old son?” says Silvanna.

With her husband at the hospital in New Brunswick, Silvanna was about to give birth in isolation only a few blocks away at St. Peter’s Hospital.

“I will never forget when the OBGYN told me I have to be isolated, that I may not be able to have a support person. But she said, ‘You have us,’” Silvanna says.

Meanwhile, she was getting photos from the staff at Robert Wood of her husband to help her get through. She says that they deserve hazard pay for all that they are going through caring for COVID-19 patients.

Silvanna says that it hasn’t been easy for herself either.

“I was very upset initially, and then I thought to myself, I can’t just cry all the time. It’s not going to help him. It’s not going to help me. I’m going to hope for the best and keep praying and somehow he’s pulling through,” she says.

Silvanna has had a lot of support from family as well. Her mother and step-father cared for newborn Hannah until she was home and COVID-free.

Dave Greaux was released from the hospital on Thursday. And while he can’t hold his new daughter just yet, he was able to see her from afar.