COMIN’ HOME

Lake Catholic senior greeted by family, friends after long hospital stay

For weeks, numerous individuals have been longing to cast off the collar of quarantine brought on by the current health environment in hopes to, at long last, leave home.

Susan Daly is not one of those people.

As a matter of fact, home has been her No. 1 destination for over two months, and she’s more than ready to spend as much time as she can there, cheerfully and gratefully.

For the 18-year-old Lake Catholic senior, “cabin fever” has nothing to do with the takenfor-granted luxury of being home.

After learning she had mononucleosis earlier this year, Daly was later diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome

“She cares so much about other people and that’s well known, so it was quite easy to rally people together...” — Campus Minister Alison Ellis

— a condition in which the immune system attacks the nerves — at the end of February.

Weakness and tingling in the extremities are among the first symptoms which quickly spread, eventually paralyzing the entire body.

Daly spent a month in the Neurological Institute at the Cleveland Clinic before transferring to the Cleveland Clinic Children’s Hospital for Rehabilitation, where she stayed for weeks.

On May 6, after a total of 71 days, Daly was finally welcomed home to Mentor in the parking lot of the Great Lakes Mall between the old Sears building and Hobby Lobby.

The surprise jaunt to the

mall was arranged by Daly’s family, who decided to put a twist on the recent practices of novel coronavirus community parades.

After cruising through the lot and waving out the back window of a limousine, Susan was greeted by friends, additional family, and Lake Catholic teachers and staff.

With choruses of “We love you!” filling the air, much of the crowd frantically flashed “Sue Dawg” and “Susan Strong” signs right before Daly and her family exited the car.

“Susan’s been a wonderful student at Lake Catholic for four years,” said Campus Minister Alison Ellis. “She cares so much about other people and that’s well known, so it was quite easy to rally people together to step up to help support her and welcome her back. The

spirit is positive.”

While local rehab is in her future, Daly plans to embrace her “Susan Strong” motto in continuing what’s been described as “the fight of her life.”

Her plans also include attending Ohio University in Athens this fall.

“This is the story of two great families — the Daly family and the Lake Catholic family,” said Mark Crowley, the school’s president. “The Dalys are tremendous people and they are bringing out the best in our Lake Catholic family through our prayers and support.”

So what’s someone who’s been through so much singularly looking forward to?

“My bed,” Susan said emphatically, smiling and wiping back tears while surrounded by loved ones. “I’m just so happy to be home.”

CHAD FELTON — THE NEWS-HERALD Susan Daly, center, embraces her father, Tom, at Great Lakes Mall. At right is her mother, Monica, and cousin, Gabby. Susan was released from Cleveland Clinic hospitals after 71days on May 6and was welcomed home by a surprise crowd of supporters in celebration.