A Polk County Sheriff’s Office Sergeant who was put in a ventilator in recent weeks is in stable condition, and hopes are to slowly bring him back to breathing on his own following his admission to the hospital for COVID-19.

Sgt. Barry Henderson is still slowly recovering from the symptoms caused by the virus that put him into the hospital, according to an update from Chief Deputy Jonathan Blackmon in recent days. He said that at the moment, he’s stable but still in need of the ventilator for the time being.

He said Henderson’s wife Chrisy sent a message on Saturday that thanked everyone so far for their prayers for her husband. She apologized that she isn’t able to thank everyone individually for sending out their kind thoughts and words for her husband’s speedy recovery.

She said the family still needs the community’s positive support as Henderson continues to slowly get better, and be able to get off the ventilator.

“Barry is showing improvement daily,” Blackmon forwarded from Chrisy Henderson. “The recovery process is very delicate and slow.”

Henderson was admitted earlier in the month for COVID-19 symptoms and was admitted to the Northside Hospital’s ICU around January 10. He is a member of the PCSO’s Gang Investigation Unit.

Since that time, the PCSO was among the first agencies in Polk to decide to shut down amid a spike in new COVID-19 cases.

Check back for additional updates as they become available about Sgt. Henderson.