Erik Hoyo, his wife, four sons and mother-in-law all live together in Chula Vista.
On March 23, Hoyo noticed he had a fever. His fever ranged from 100 to 101 degrees, but he said it didn't worry him.
"I had read that once the temperature got to 103 or 104, that was a coronavirus symptom," Hoyo explained.
As days went on, his symptoms got worse and then his wife and kids started to get sick too.
"She felt weak one day and then didn't get out of bed for a week and a half," Hoyo shared with NBC 7.
Then his three older sons, age 15 to 21, lost their sense of smell and taste.
Hoyo's condition reached its peak when he started having difficulty breathing. One of his kids called an ambulance and he was taken to the hospital where he tested positive for the coronavirus.
Local
You're coughing out all your oxygen and then when you are trying to breath it back in it's like dust.
Erik Hoyo
The family's concern soon shifted to their youngest son Mateo. At only three years old, the family decided to send him to a relative's house where he could be away from the rest of the family as they battled the virus.
Hoyo said the transition was tough for everyone. There were many FaceTime sessions with Mateo that ended in tears.
After several weeks, everyone in the family is feeling much better. Hoyo said he still has a lingering cough, but it pails in comparison to what he went through.
"It is a horrible thing not to be able to take a deep breath," Hoyo said.
Right now, the Hoyo Family is waiting to get the all-clear from their doctors. As soon as they do, they want to donate plasma, in hopes of helping someone who fighting the virus.
