Superfit Sammy nearly died three times in hospital

know anything about.”

Even at the most uncertain of times though, Janice firmly believed Sammy would pull through.

“I did believe he would fight it,” she said.

“I knew it. He is a fighter. He has been in the Army a long time and has seen and done things no-one else has.

“Anybody who knows Sammy was confident he could fight this and pull through. There was no way he was going to give in to it.

“But it was a long time before we saw light at the end of the tunnel. It was a pure drag.

“It seemed like there was no end to it. One minute you’d think it was okay, then you’d be hit with a ton of bricks again. It was horrendous.”

As Sammy’s condition slowly improved, medics were able to bring him out of the coma and gradually reduce his medication.

Neighbours had decorated the outside of the couple’s home with banners and balloons to welcome him when he was finally discharged from hospital on June 26.

“People out there really need to see the damage this virus can cause to the body,” said Janice, who counts her blessings that no other member of their family contracted the deadly disease.

“He was like an old man. He had to learn to walk again and he couldn’t speak. I had to cut his meals for him and help him in and out the shower.

“It makes me really angry when people say this will not affect them. They couldn’t be more wrong.”

That’s why the family agreed to share shocking pictures of Sammy at his lowest ebb, and other images taken by Janice which show the gradual recovery of a man who has regained almost three stone in weight and is embracing life again.

Those pictures include one of proud grandfather Sammy cradling his new baby granddaughter, Callie, who was born last Wednesday.

“You don’t have to have any other health conditions to get Covid,” said Janice.

“You’d think if anyone was to get it, it would be me or another member of our family, because Sammy is the strongest out of all of us put together.

“I don’t know if God was up there, thinking that somebody in our family had to get it, and so he gave it to Sammy because he is the strongest.”

Urging local communities to help curb the spread of the virus by complying with new regulations, Janice appealed: “Do what you are supposed to be doing. Don’t mess about.

“If people go about doing what they used to do in their normal life, it is not going to go away. This is here to stay for a while. Please, play by the rules.”

Hewasnevertobeseenagainfor11½ weeks.. he was put in an induced coma for 26 days