Former Fresno State football star improving, posts message on coronavirus

Former Fresno State linebacker Travis Brown, the fourth of six people in Fresno County to test positive for the coronavirus, posted on social media on Monday that he was feeling better after a few scary nights and asking people to stay inside to curb the spread of the virus.

“Man, the support has been overwhelming the last 24 hours since my mom posted on facebook,” Brown wrote on Twitter. “I appreciate everyone’s well wishes and prayers as I recover from home! They mean a lot to me. I’ve had a few scary nights with this but woke up today feeling less pain in the chest and breathing better. The doctors I have been in contact with are hopeful that I should be getting over the hump any day now.

“Once again I want to thank everyone for reaching out and showing support! Please be safe out there and continue to stay inside to flatten the curve!”

The linebackers coach for the BC Lions in the Canadian Football League, Brown is under the care of the Lions’ team physician.

His mother, Mindy Brown, had posted on facebook on Sunday urging people to take the coronavirus and public distancing more seriously.

Brown was taken by ambulance to Clovis Community Hospital on March 14 and after being released from the emergency room later that day went into self-quarantine.

“It has been over a week people, and we still have our fingers ready to hit the 911 button because this thing is a MONSTER!,” Mindy Brown wrote, on Facebook. “I realized just how serious it was when Travis wouldn’t even step outside to get our care packages until we were tucked safely in our vehicles driving away.

“Travis and I felt it was our duty to share this information with you because many of you are not taking this seriously. I told him I was so angry because I drove past Target yesterday and entire families were walking in as though it was a normal day!!! Lowe’s parking lot was full of women with kids loading flowers in their car!

“WE ALL NEED TO DO BETTER AT THIS! You could be carrying this virus and not even know it.”

This story was originally published March 23, 2020 at 1:35 PM.