A dad of eight children - aged between six months and 12 - who contracted coronavirus has died after it appeared he would recover, his devastated family says.
Doctors had discussed discharging construction worker Nicu Urzica, who was just 34, shortly before he lost his battle with Covid-19.
Devoted churchgoer Mr Urzica, who lived in London and was from Transylvania in Romania, had spent 10 days in hospital after he came down with symptoms that he initially thought were caused by a cold.
After a week in intensive care, his condition had improved significantly and he was looking forward to returning home, but he took a sudden turn for the worse and his wife Lidia and eight young children are now facing life without him.
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A GoFundMe page has been set up by the church he attended to repatriate his body to his home town of Dumbraveni, pay for his funeral and support his large family.
It had raised almost £90,000 as of Wednesday afternoon.
Mr Urzica's grief-stricken brother, Ianis, said his brother had battled coronavirus for more than a week, but he was feeling better and there was talk of him going home from the hospital.
Ianis told Obiectiv: "Everything was going well. He should have been released in two days."
Mr Urzica, who moved to the UK to work and provide for his wife and children, came down with a cold and stayed home from work for a week, his brother said.
He thought he was recovering and a doctor told him it would be OK for him to return to work.
But after working for two days he fell ill again.
He called a GP and was told to self-isolate at home, but his condition became worse and two days later he felt like he couldn't breathe.
He was put on oxygen and admitted to the intensive care unit in a serious condition.
Ianis said: "After a week in ICU he was moved to a [different] ward and they were even discussing a discharge, when suddenly the situation changed.
"His condition worsened. It seems he suffered some blood clots."
Mr Urzica died on April 11 after suffering a heart attack, Ioan Pavel, the mayor of his home town, told Realitatea.
His family is now trying to bring his body home while planning a funeral in Romania.
Ianis added: "All his friends in London raised a large sum to help the children. They are left without a father. Not all the money in the world will bring their father back. The little ones won't even remember him."
Ianis said Mr Urzica's children were aged between six months and 12.
The GoFundMe page set up by the Romanian Pentecostal Church Emanuel in Edgware, north-west London, stated that the youngest was four months and the oldest was 10.
The page stated: "God has called home brother Nicu Urzica, 34, the father of eight children.
"The youngest child is four months old and the eldest child is 10 years old.
"We want this money to be a help to the funeral of brother Nicu as well as to sister Lidia and the eight orphaned children left behind by their father.
"Brother Nicu Urzica served as a singer in the groups and choirs of Emanuel Church, being a devoted brother to the works of the Lord and his family.
"Please donate to this family. Lidia and their eight children need your help in this difficult time."
Family members have paid tribute to Mr Urzica on Facebook.
One wrote: "He left too soon and will be missed by so many. His wife and eight children will miss him the most."
Click here to visit the GoFundMe page.
