‘I’m a survivor‘: Carolina Beach business owner overcomes serious lung infection from COVID-19

Updated: Aug. 10, 2020 at 3:28 PM EDT
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CAROLINA BEACH, N.C. (WECT) - If you’ve ever picked up your morning cup of coffee at Majik Beanz in Carolina Beach, odds are, you’ve met Janeen Williams.

Weeks after being released from the hospital, Williams is back taking orders and whipping up orders at her coffee shop. She’s not just serving up drinks, she’s also serving as an example of how serious the coronavirus can be.

Williams’ doctor cleared her to get back to work, but she’s only working three hour-long shifts while she regains her strength. Last month, she was in the hospital for a week. Doctors drained one of her lungs and had to surgically put in a chest tube while she battled a serious infection due to the coronavirus.

“I got to the emergency room and I was admitted 10 minutes later with a horrible lung infection. I’m a healthy person so that shocked everybody. Had a chest tube. It was real fun. Seven days in the hospital seven days at home on antibiotics. God, this mask is so important. People, wear your mask,” Williams explained.

Williams couldn’t have any visitors when she was in the hospital, but she wasn’t in this fight alone.

As she battled the complications from the coronavirus, the Carolina Beach community banded together, raising more than $26,000 for the business owner to pay her medical bills and keep up with rent.

“Majik Beanz is a very crucial part of the community,” said regular Christopher Perry. He lives in Wilmington but makes the journey each day to Carolina Beach for coffee at Williams’ shop. “It’s not just coffee… it’s everything else,” Perry said.

Williams is known throughout Pleasure Island for helping her neighbors through tough times. It was only fitting that the whole community came together to make sure she was taken care of.

“They pulled me through this. I can pay my medical bills off,” Williams said. “None of my landlords have to wait for rent. This is thanks to my community. I have the greatest town on Earth.”

While she’s the first to admit wearing a mask is no fun, she knows firsthand how serious the virus can be.

“I want them to not get it. I want everyone to wear their mask. It’s a pain in the butt, you can’t breathe under this, it’s hot, I hate it but it can save your life,” she said.

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