Ebola-Free Nurse Amber Vinson Returns Safely To Dallas

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DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) – North Texas nurse Amber Vinson is Ebola-free and back in North Texas. Vinson left Emory University Hospital Tuesday afternoon and landed at Dallas Love Field Airport just after 5 p.m. Vinson was transported from Atlanta to Dallas in a twin-engine CareFlite airplane.

After the plane landed at Love Field it was taxied into an enclosed hanger for the nurse and her family to disembark. During her treatment at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas and at Emory, Vinson requested privacy and released little information about her condition. She again asked that the media respect her privacy during a brief statement made Tuesday.

Before leaving the hospital Vinson made that request and spoke to the media for the first time. “I’m so grateful to be well,” she said. “First and foremost I want to thank God. With God all things are possible.”

The Presbyterian Hospital nurse was diagnosed with Ebola after caring for U.S. index-patient Thomas Eric Duncan.

According to Vinson’s family, the 29-year-old has been Ebola-free since last week.

After her arrival back in the Lone Star State, City of Dallas officials said they would respect her request for privacy and that Vinson would not provide media availability.

In the statement Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings said, “Amber Vinson’s discharge from the hospital after being declared free of Ebola marks an important turning point in our ongoing fight against the virus. I join everyone in Dallas in welcoming Amber back to the community and thanking her for her dedication and brave devotion as a nurse. Amber is a true hero, and I hope she’s able to return to a normal and happy life as soon as possible.”

Complete Coverage Of Ebola In North Texas

While the media has known Vinson was well on her way to recovery, seeing her smiling face Tuesday finally made it seem real.

Vinson made a brief statement before being discharged from the medical facility in Atlanta. She thanked her caregivers at Presbyterian Hospital in and those who continued her care at Emory. But, she ultimately gave credit to her faith for sustaining her during the terrifying diagnosis.

“While the skill and dedication of the doctors, nurses and others who have taken care of me have obviously led to my recovery… it has been God’s love that has truly carried my family and me through this difficult time and has played such an important role in giving me hope and the strength to fight.”

After Vinson was released Presbyterian Hospital released the following statement:

“Today is a joyful day at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas. Amber Vinson is free of Ebola and coming home. Like many of her colleagues, she made a brave choice to volunteer and provide care for a critically ill Ebola patient. That led to a personal fight against the disease, and she is to be commended for her strength and courage.
Amber and her fellow caregiver, Nina Pham, are an inspiration for healthcare workers nationwide, and we at Texas Health Dallas could not be more proud of them.”

Both Vinson and her colleague, Nina Pham who is also back in North Texas after surviving the disease, are being called inspirations for healthcare workers across the country.

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