More than 600,000 people in the United States have died of the coronavirus.
For the many, many others who have contracted the virus but survived, a bit of guilt is setting in.
That includes 101.7 The Truth host and Milwaukee Bucks game host Melanie Ricks.
“I had COVID in September,” Ricks tells WTMJ. “I had it for about three weeks. I’ve never experienced anything like it.”
Ricks grandfather sadly passed away from the virus about a year ago.
“For a very long time, I had the worst survivors guilt. Just awful.”
And reading about children or people Ricks’ age also passing away only made things worse.
“I definitely begged that question, ‘Why was I able to make it through this and why were they not able to.'”
After months of work, Ricks now sees things in a different light.
“I think everything happens for a reason. I got COVID for a reason. And I survived it for a reason. So I’m going to use the platforms I have to talk about it.”
Around the holidays, Ricks said her depression and anxiety hit peak. That’s when she sought help. She went and talked to a therapist.
“I’ve gotten to that point where it happened, sometimes I’m feeling down about it, sometimes those mental health issues do come back up to the surface, but I’m able to control that a little bit more now.”
She encourages others to also seek help if they need it.
“Your mental health is just as important, if not more, as your psychical health.”
For the full interview with Ricks on Wisconsin’s Morning News, click in the player above.