'It's not a hoax, it's real' | Mid-South COVID-19 survivors, spouses of those who died urge those on the fence about vaccine to get the shot The new urgency comes due to a recent uptick of area COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations as large segments of the area population remain unprotected. Author: Brad Broders Updated: 5:09 PM CDT July 29, 2021 MEMPHIS, Tennessee — "I couldn't breathe, I really felt like I was dying," Dale McNair said. McNair feared for his life this past spring in St. Francis Hospital's ICU, where his wife of less than two years, Secelia, could only see him from a hallway.