Manchester Police Officer Back To Full Duty After COVID-19 Battle

MANCHESTER, NJ — Just over a year after his battle with COVID-19 began, Manchester Township Police Sgt. Antonio Ellis has returned to full duty.

The police department heralded Ellis's return to full duty with a Facebook post on Tuesday, celebrating what they call their #ManchesterMiracle.

Ellis, 43, became ill last March — one of the first cases of the virus in Ocean County. He went to the emergency room at Ocean Medical Center on March 15, according to a report by the Courier-Post of Cherry Hill, and that started a 102-day battle that included a month in a coma and intensive treatment before he was able to go home in June.

Part of that included a transfer to Cooper University Medical Center in Camden for a specialized treatment, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation or ECMO, which the Courier-Post report described as "dialysis for the lungs."

His return home in June included much fanfare, with a parade of first responders from departments all over the area celebrating the milestone of returning to his family. Read more: See Manchester Officer's Homecoming After Beating Coronavirus

"Our #ManchesterMiracle reaches another milestone!" Tuesday's police department post on Facebook said of his clearance to return to full duty.

"Sgt. Ellis is a strong-willed, determined man who was making it back to full duty come hell or high water! This is a day of celebration!" Police Chief Lisa Parker said.

Ellis, an expert in the field of traffic safety, had made his return to full duty his goal. His recovery included months of physical therapy both in a long-term care setting and at home, was able to return to work in a light-duty capacity in early January.

"We're in awe of the determination Sgt. Ellis displayed throughout his recovery, and we know how much it means to him to put on his Manchester Police uniform again. We wish him all the best upon his return!" the police department's Facebook post said.

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