Last March, Dr. Kazin Hussain saw the first case of COVID-19 in Cameron County walk through the doors of Valley Baptist Medical Center.

What Hussain saw scared him so much, he lived out of his garage for weeks, to protect his family. 

"It was emotionally, very traumatic for me," Hussain said.

As time went on, more cases meant new challenges, from equipment shortages to losing co-workers.  

The emotional and operational stress made it difficult for an already overworked staff. 

"My doctors [on] my team and my colleagues in other states are dying of this," Hussain said. "One of my beautiful nurses here— he died of this disease."

Looking forward, Hussain is confident the light at the end of the tunnel is near, but he said the community needs to stay the course. 

"We are on the downside now— down-sloping," Hussain said. "But I would suggest even now— people should still be practicing the masking and the distancing."

Hussain said he and his team will continue fighting for the community he loves.

"I'm not going to give up," he said. "I will fight until the end."