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The personal trainer from North Jersey suffered an infection after having a tooth extracted on July 28, and was put on antibiotics and then the ventilator to protect his airways.
Doctors worried the size and swelling of the infection would affect his breathing.
Gouvanis hadn't been able to talk until Monday, Aug. 8, when he recorded a YouTube video from Mount Sinai Hospital thanking everyone supporting him.
More than $19,700 had been raised for Gouvanis as of Aug. 8 on a GoFundMe, launched by a coworker from The Gym in Englewood.
"While many of us feel powerless in situations like this, one of the things we can do is help Johnny with the hefty medical bills, loss of personal training income, and long recovery period that is likely to come," Jenifer Simon writes.
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