We are proud to introduce Zoila Esperanza Gutiérrez Berrocal, who was discharged on Monday night, April 13, from the Nicolás A. Solano Hospital in La Chorrera, Panamá Oeste province.

The story of this brave and charming elderly woman, from Natá de los Caballeros, Coclé province, was told to the world by one of her granddaughters, Iris Batista Buitrago.

The days of anguish, sadness and despair caused by the coronavirus, when she did had no news of her grandmother state of health, are long gone for now for Iris. Now she has all the reason to smile.

"She has always had respiratory problems, because she cooked on a stove. On March 19, we took her to the La Chorrera Polyclinic to check for respiratory problems. They recommended that I bring her home and get her oxygen and inhalers. In the end, that was what I did, "she said.

Five days later, on March 24, her grandmother's health had gotten worse. She was taken to the Arraiján Polyclinic and then sent to the Nicolás A. Solano Hospital, where she was admitted.

Unknowingly, at that time, that would be one of the last days Iris would be at her grandmother's side. The worst was yet to happen.

A phone call brought tears and sadness to the family. It was March 30 and the hospital contacted Iris, to let her know that her grandmother had tested positive for COVID-19. Being quarantined, no one in the family could move from their residence when the test results came in. It was time to bend your knees and ask higher powers that the results would be negative and that a miracle would take place in the Nicolás Solano Hospital.

The miracle they asked for came true on Tuesday, April 7. Unlike the first phone call, this one brought tears of joy and happiness. It was her grandmother's first negative of the second test for COVID-19. Pending the third test, in the hospital they decided to release Iris's grandmother on Monday, April 13.

A joyful reunion took place after 9 PM in the Nicolás A. Solano Hospital.

On Tuesday, April 14, with their grandmother home again in Arraiján, they received the good news that the third test of COVID-19 was also negative.

This event sparked social and other media outlets to go wild with the positive news of a miraculous recovery, causing even the President of the Republic, Laurentino Cortizo, to speak out before the wonderful news.

"The 99-year-old granny is called Zoila and lives in Arraiján. She never gave up and fought against the enemy. Today, with great emotion and joy, our health team discharges her and returns home to her family. Panama, come on, let's get out of this! "commented the president.

For Iris everything that she has gone through with her grandmother in these days, has woken strong thoughts that Panama and the world must take care of their elderly.

"The elderly must be cared for, they are alive. People put elderly people aside and that is the worst thing we do. That is why, perhaps, we have many deaths of the elderly due to the coronavirus," said Iris Batista Buitrago. Not without first showing her gratitude to the doctor who treated her grandmother at the Nicolás A. Solano hospital.