x
Breaking News
More () »

Lightning's beloved national anthem singer released from hospital after COVID battle

Sonya Bryson-Kirksey was in the ICU for several days after being hospitalized with COVID-19 despite being vaccinated.

TAMPA, Fla. — After being in the hospital for almost a month, the Tampa Bay Lightning's national anthem singer is finally heading home!

Sonya Bryson-Kirksey, who was fully vaccinated but more vulnerable to the delta variant due to multiple sclerosis, had been hospitalized for COVID-19 since July 16.

Video shows Bryson-Kirksey making her exit Friday morning from the hospital elevator to a cheering crowd of hospital staff, happy to see her on her road to recovery.

"I have been surrounded by prayer & although I might have gotten in a jab or two, there is NO DOUBT that GOD brought me through this battle & I will warrior on," she said in a statement, in part.

For some of the time, she had been in the intensive care unit. But on Aug. 4, her husband and a family friend confirmed to 10 Tampa Bay that Bryson-Kirksey had been moved back out of the ICU after making progress in her battle against COVID.

“If you know Sonya, you know she’s a fighter," a family friend, Thomas Schooley, stated at the time.

Her husband, Jimmie Kirksey Jr., previously said the singer had been infected by an unvaccinated person. If Bryson-Kirksey hadn't gotten the shot, "she might not be here," her husband said.

There's been an outpouring of support from fans of the back-to-back Stanley Cup-winning hockey team.

“Sonya is an important member of the Lightning family and an integral part of our game day experience. We’re wishing her the best and hoping for a speedy recovery," a Tampa Bay Lightning spokesperson previously told 10 Tampa Bay.

Before You Leave, Check This Out