LINCOLN COUNTY, N.C. — Three to five days a week, Wesley Schenck goes to the gym. 

Schenck, of Lincoln County, says he is most comfortable when he has a routine. He has worked out since he was 15, and played football since he was three years old. 

What You Need to Know 

Novant Health requires every staff member and employee to be vaccinated against COVID-19 

Fewer than 200 employees out of 35,000 were found to be non-compliant 

Wesley Schenck was an employee at Novant Huntersville and applied for religious exemption twice, being denied both times 

Before every workout, he prays.

Schenck graduated from Gardner-Webb University with a business administration degree, but he ended up in healthcare. For the past three years, Schenck has worked at Novant Health in Huntersville. 

He has transported patients from room-to-room, been an emergency room assistant, and recently, restocked storage rooms. It was a job he loved, he says. 

"I really enjoyed working with people, helping people, I learned a lot doing those jobs, I really enjoyed it," said Schenck. 

But this past fall, Schenck had to make a decision, one that could potentially go against his Christian beliefs, and his strong conviction against the COVID-19 vaccine. 

Schenck said he prayed about whether to take the shot and felt moved to decide against it. 

Novant Health required all its staff and employees to be vaccinated against Coronavirus. The first deadline set was Sept. 15, then it was pushed back 30 days. 

"It is essential to ensure the safety of our patients, team members and communities. Therefore, we are requiring that all Novant Health team members be fully vaccinated by Sept. 15, 2021.  

While our hope is for every team member to accept the vaccine on their own, a mandatory vaccination program will ensure that Novant Health’s patients and visitors, as well as our team members, have better protection against COVID-19 regardless of where they are in our health system," Novant Health officials said in a statement. Read the entire statement here. 

Schenck said he applied for religious exemption. When it was denied, he filled out a second form, it was also denied. 

Following his shift on Sept. 15, Schenck did not return to work, he was heartbroken. 

"My career in healthcare is over, I am trying to stay busy, working out, praying, continue to work on my physical, mental and spiritual health, I am walking by faith and not by sight," said Schenck. 

Novant Health says fewer than 200 employees out of 35,000 were found to be non-compliant across the Novant Health system. 

"As a matter of internal policy, we are not releasing numbers related to medical and religious exemptions," Novant officials said. 

The exemption committees were comprised of a multidisciplinary team who carefully reviewed every exemption request on an individual basis. 

Each exemption was assessed based on the information provided by the team member in accordance with applicable law.