‘Duck Dynasty’ Star Uncle Si Thought COVID Diagnosis Would Kill Him, Exclusive ‘At Home With the Robertsons’ Preview Reveals

Si Robertson didn’t know if he was going to make it through his battle with COVID-19. The Duck Dynasty star, 72, recalls his health scare in a PopCulture exclusive sneak peek of next week’s new episodes of At Home With the Robertsons tackling the COVID-19 pandemic, available to stream on Facebook Watch. In Monday’s episode of At Home With the Robertsons, Willie and Korie Robertson meet with frontline doctor Michael Ayers to discuss the vaccine with a group of friends from Monroe, Louisiana, but on Thursday Uncle Si and Sadie Robertson will share their own harrowing personal experiences with the virus.

Si, wearing an oxygen cannula, explains in PopCulture’s sneak peek that when he contracted the coronavirus, every bit of his energy left him, and Korie agrees, “You were zapped.” Willie chimes in to lighten the mood, “I thought that when COVID would enter your body, I thought really it would just say ‘nah,’ and it would jump out and actually commit suicide.” Si laughs and responds, “Trust me, I wish it would have done that.”

When Willie and Korie first learned Si had been diagnosed with COVID, they were more than a little concerned, “For Si, he’s had health problems,” Willie explains. “He’s had open-heart surgery and even some breathing issues, and so we just really panicked,” Korie recalls Si coming home from the hospital about five days after being admitted and “feeling better,” but then the “second round” almost took him out altogether.

“He shared with us that he just … he thought it was just the end,” Willie remembers. “If it were not for members of the family really being with him and encouraging him, I don’t know that he would have made it.” Korie agrees, “Yeah, I’m not sure that he would.”

When Willie and Korie first dreamed up the idea for At Home With the Robertsons, they hoped to show a different side of themselves to people who follow their family as they discussed hot topics currently in the culture, the couple told PopCulture earlier this month. “I think people, some people will be surprised maybe on how we feel about things, and some people will be surprised at the other side of how we get along.” At Home With the Robertsons airs Mondays and Thursdays at 12 p.m. ET/9 a.m. PT on Facebook Watch.