A popular DJ who later this month will have been in hospital for two years after contracting Covid has fought off critical illness again and again - and his family now hope he can soon return home.
Steve Laviniere is thought to be the UK's longest hospitalised coronavirus patient after he suffered brain damage brought on by the virus.
Steve, now 58, was admitted on March 29, 2020 - just three days after the UK was put into lockdown for the first time.
Two years later he remains in a hospital care home in Guildford, Surrey, after suffering Acute haemorrhagic leukoencephalitis (AHLE), a rare neurological condition, when medics put him in an induced coma.
He is unable to walk or talk and has to be fed through a tube, but his loved ones have not given up hope of a recovery.
Before the pandemic he and twin brother Bobby - who was also put in a coma with Covid days before Steve - toured the world as soulful house duo Bobby & Steve.
"We don't know if he's going to come back all singing and all dancing, but you don't bet against Steve," Bobby told The Mirror.
"He can't communicate but I know he's fighting inside. I know Steve is vibing away inside, I can't be negative when he's being positive. He's doing amazingly well."
In recent months Bobby and Steve's devoted wife Julie have twice been told that he might not pull through - only for him to defy medics.
Last August Steve's oxygen levels dropped to a critical level, and tests revealed that he was suffering with worsening kidney stones.
Because of his condition he was unable to tell medics he had a problem until it was nearly too late.
"They were telling us to prepare for the worst," Bobby said. "But my brother hasn't been in this condition for so long to check out now, he's not checking out like this."
And he fell ill again six weeks ago, when his oxygenation levels dropped, but he again pulled through.
"Six of the emergency team rushed into the room, it was a life or death situation," Bobby said. "It was scary, consultants were saying it wasn't looking good, but Steve is winning his battles again and again."
Bobby, who speaks to Steve on a video call every day and has visits several times a week, has launched a GoFundMe page to pay for crucial adaptations to his and Julie's home.
The family hope Steve, from East London, will be able to return home once crucial renovation is carried out on his and Julia's home.
At the moment he is making brief visits every two months, but it is hoped he will soon be able to return full-time.
On his first visit home his loved ones were delighted when Steve moved his head to look at mum Bernadine when she was praying.
Tragically the brothers' mum will not be able to greet him on his return, as he died in October after a long illness.
"She died on the day we held a dance for Steve at the Ministry of Sound," Bobby said. "My mum knew she was going, she was granted the chance to tell everyone and to be with us all at the end.
"I had to tell everyone at the party that our mum had just passed."
Industry pals David Morales, Norman Jay and Trevor Nelson are among those who have lent their support during his illness, taking part in the successful fundraiser last October.
And Bobby is organising a comedy night to mark the anniversary of his brother's admission to hospital.
"The amount of love we've received is overwhelming, it's beautiful," Bobby said.
"We know that Steve needs his family around him. The plans have been submitted, hopefully the house will have been renovated by the end of the summer. We're still raising funds, we're not quite there yet."
Bobby, who has appeared in TV documentaries alongside Kate Garraway - whose husband Derek Draper spent 13 months in hospital after contracting Covid - said he is in the process of setting up a foundation to help others.
"My calling now is to raise enough money to help other people with conditions like Steve's," he said.
Bobby believes he and Steve, who have toured the world and sold out huge events since they started DJ-ing in 1984, contracted the virus in Madrid just before lockdown.
They were both breathless during a business meeting the day after they returned, and Bobby's condition worsened - although Steve seemed to be recovering.
Bobby was admitted into hospital, where he was placed into a coma as he battled the virus.
Two days before he was discharged, Steve was admitted, but at the time his twin thought everything would be fine.
On Monday, March 28, a Laugh for Steve comedy night will be held at the Backyard Comedy Club in Bethnal Green, London, featuring Ricky Grover, Ninia Benjamin, Curtis Walker and Quincy the cockney Prince - with the show also set to be streamed online.
Tickets can be purchased here.
