NHRA tech returns to UAB to thank caregivers for COVID care

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) - People all over the world followed Ervin “Jock” Allen’s story when the 28-year-old Jasper native and lead technician for NHRA Birmingham-based Steve Johnson Racing, was battling COVID-19 inside UAB Hospital.

It was a long battle for Allen with 32 days in the hospital and more than three weeks on a ventilator.

On Thursday, May 20, 2021, almost a year after he was discharged, and after beating COVID-19, Allen came back to UAB Hospital to thank his caregivers in the hospital and on UAB’s Special Care Unit and share with them with the trophy from his team’s first-place finish at the NHRA’s 4 Wide Nationals event this past week.

Jock Allen returns to UAB after victory, recovery(Steve Wood, UAB)

“Several months ago, Jock shared an analogy with the staff in the Medical Intensive Care Unit about how he understood their goal was to get him out of the hospital healthy and that his goal as a professional motorcycle mechanic was to create the fastest motorcycles and win the trophy they give out at the competitions,” said James Stout, director of Quality Assurance/Patient Safety in UAB’s Special Care Unit. “Almost a year after discharging, they won one of those elusive trophies, and we could not be happier for Jock and the Steve Johnson Racing team. We’re thrilled Jock is doing well, and we appreciate that he wanted to come back here and thank the staff and share with them that this is their trophy, too, for helping him to recover and get back to doing what he loves.”

“I don’t remember a lot of what happened while I was here, but I do know the staff at UAB took really good care of me,” Allen said.