A B.C. political firebrand has good reason to get on his balcony every evening at 7 p.m. to applaud health-care workers.

That's because if it weren't for their heroic efforts, Svend Robinson might not be alive today.

In March, the 68-year-old former NDP MP was in Spain in March visiting his husband Max's mom and stepdad.

Upon their return to Canada, they went into self-isolation—and everything was going fine. But on the 10th day, Robinson collapsed after having trouble breathing.

Naturally, they feared that Robinson had COVID-19, given the magnitude of the outbreak in Spain.

But after visiting Burnaby General Hospital, they learned that the long-time politician had, in fact, major pulmonary embolisms with deep vein thrombosis.

It could have been fatal, but now the first openly gay MP in Canadian history is on the road to recovery, thanks to excellent medical care and the love and support that he's receiving from his husband.

And every evening at 7 p.m., Robinson gets on his balcony to give thanks to the health workers who are putting their lives on the line to fight the pandemic—and also to those who saved his life.