NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF/AP) — Conservative talk radio host Phil Valentine remains hospitalized in his battle with COVID-19. According to a tweet from SuperTalk 99.7 WTN, he was placed on a ventilator earlier this week "out of an abundance of caution."
From the Valentine Family: continue to pray! #prayforphil pic.twitter.com/69ssmR6kbR
— SuperTalk 99.7 WTN (@997wtn) July 28, 2021
His brother, Mark Valentine, shared an update on his condition on Friday, saying he needs to be placed on an ECMO machine. ECMO stands for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation and is said to be similar to the heart-lung by-pass machine used during open-heart surgery.
“Phil made it through the nite [sic]. He needs to be on an EKMO [sic] machine which is lung part of a heart/lung machine. We’re trying to get him to a hospital with that equipment via helicopter. The protocol requires he be able to be on his back for several hours which I didn’t think he could do…but he did! We’re checking bed availability now and if he is a candidate for transport. It ain’t over,” Mark Valentine wrote.
Last week, Mark Valentine, spoke at length on WWTN-FM about his brother’s condition and said his brother now regrets not being an advocate for vaccination.
Phil Valentine has had an afternoon talk radio show on the station for years. He previously advised listeners to get vaccinated only if they thought they would likely die from COVID-19.
On July 11, Valentine confirmed via his Facebook page that he had been diagnosed with the virus.
