Local Doc Defends NY Ebola Patient's Actions

A San Diego doctor is defending the actions of Dr. Craig Spencer, the man hospitalized for Ebola in New York City.

Spencer, who tested positive for Ebola on Thursday, has been criticized by New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo for not obeying a 21-day voluntary quarantine.

In her first on camera interview, one of Spencer’s friends defended his actions.

Dr. Liz Edelstein described Spencer as someone who is selfless, inspiring and always willing to make sacrifices.

“My heart ached and it still does and it just it hit very close to home,” says Dr. Edelstein. “It's definitely scary.”

She met Spencer at a Wilderness Medicine Retreat where students learned to prevent, diagnose and treat disease in the back country without access to modern technology.

Edelstein defends Spencer saying he followed Ebola monitoring protocols.

“He is a careful doctor he's conscientious in his job he's out there because he knows better than most doctors how to deal with this,” says Edelstein. ”What happened is a risk of his job.”

A risk, she prays he can overcome.

“A lot of us went into medicine because we want to do things like that there's a calling,” says Edelstein. “And Craig is one of the few who actually does it."

Spencer has been hospitalized and was said to be in serious but stable condition Monday. He has received a plasma transplant from Ebola survivor Nancy Writebol.

Spencer had returned to New York City from treating Ebola victims in Guinea for Doctors Without Borders. In the week after his return, he rode the subway, went bowling and ate at a restaurant.

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