Covid patient dies after wife fought hospital to keep him on ventilator

‘I would like to thank the public for the outpouring of love and support during this difficult time,’ says Quiner family’s lawyer

A Covid patient whose wife sued a hospital to win him more time on a ventilator, has died, his family says.

Scott Quiner was 55. He died on Saturday at a hospital in Houston, Texas, the family’s lawyer Marjorie Holsten said, and was on a ventilator at the time. The lawyer did not elaborate on how Mr Quiner died.

“On behalf of the family of Scott Quiner, I would like to thank the public for the outpouring of love and support during this difficult time,” Ms Holsten said in a statement.

“The family now requests privacy while they grieve the loss of their beloved husband and father.”

The Buffalo, Minnesota native, who was unvaccinated, tested positive for the coronavirus in late October last year. From early November to mid-January, Mr Quiner was on life support at Mercy Hospital in Coon Rapids, Minnesota, and reportedly showed few signs of improving.

According to his wife, Anne Quiner, doctors at Mercy told her they would turn off his ventilator on 13 January.

Ms Quiner fought back, and won. In a petition to Anoka County District Court, she pleaded for a restraining order against the hospital.

“Absent an order from the court, my husband will die,” Ms Quiner wrote. “I have advised the doctors that I vehemently disagree with this action and do not want my husband’s ventilator turned off.”

On the day Mr Quiner was set to be taken off life support, Judge Jennifer Stanfield granted Ms Quiner’s request. The judge issued a temporary restraining order against Mercy Hospital, blocking it from unplugging Mr Quiner’s ventilator, and scheduled a hearing to work out the dispute on 11 February.

Soon afterward, Mr Quiner was flown to a hospital in Houston (which Ms Holsten did not name), where he received care on a ventilator. According to KSTP, the Quiners dropped their lawsuit against Mercy Hospital after the move.

Mercy’s parent company, Allina Health, did not comment on the case in detail, citing concerns for patient privacy. On Sunday, the company offered its sympathies to the Quiner family.

“We are saddened to hear about the passing of Scott Quiner and our deepest condolences go out to his family, friends and loved ones,” Allina Health told The Independent. “His passing marks yet another very sad moment as collectively we continue to face the devastating effects of the pandemic.”