Devance reveals he contracted COVID-19

MANILA, Philippines — Barangay Ginebra veteran Joe Devance revealed that he contracted and survived the COVID-19 virus and is now using his experience to urge people to keep safe and take the pandemic seriously.

In a 16-minute vlog posted on his YouTube channel Sunday, Devance said he was exposed to a friend who tested positive and he later got the same result.

Devance felt symptoms like body pains, cough and chills. The body aches were so bad at the start that DeVance said: “I thought I was gonna die.”

Fortunately, after a few days of isolation and taking extra vitamins, his condition greatly improved and he was able to start working out in his garage.

“Please take this virus seriously. It’s real,” said the 39-year-old big man, who eventually got a negative result on a rapid test.

“I’m thankful for not having really, really bad symptoms as far as us getting hospitalized and all that stuff. There’s a good three, four days where I was struggling really badly and I’m thankful me and my wife got through this. We feel great now,” he added.

Devance said he’s determined to recover fully and return to basketball.

“I got to get back to my old self even though I’m old, 39… I just want to get a good season in for basketball,” he said.