A "kind hearted man" died after complaining to friends and family that he "couldn't breathe" without realising he had coronavirus.
Carl Pennington, from Skelmersdale, was 41 when he died in Southport Hospital after testing positive for coronavirus.
According to close friend, Jamie Williamson, 31, Carl "didn't know" he had coronavirus before he began complaining he couldn't breath.
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Carl spent a total of 10 days in hospital, with family telling Jamie his condition had "started improving".
The 41-year-old Liverpool FC fan then took a turn for the worse before being put on a ventilator.
Jamie said Carl died just 30 minutes after being placed on the machine on Monday, August 9.
Jamie told the ECHO: "My mum called me and she was screaming and crying saying that he had gone.
"I couldn't believe it. I called his brother to ask if it was true and that's when they told me. I was devastated."
Jamie described Carl as "a very special man" who was "known by everyone".
He said: "He no doubt touched a lot of people's hearts by just being himself, you wouldn't have met a more kind hearted man in your life.
"He would put everyone else before himself, if it was that you needed a package picking up or your hair cutting, he was always there.
"The fact he's gone is hard to take, I will miss him and can't thank him enough for being like the older brother I never had."
Since his friend's death, Jamie said he has been "kicking himself" for not encouraging Carl to get the coronavirus vaccine.
Now Jamie, along with other friends of Carl's, have been to get their first doses.
He said: "A few of us have now gone to get our vaccines, I'm just kicking myself because he was cutting my hair for me and talking about how he wasn't going to get the vaccine.
"I wish I pushed him or told him to get it but at the end of the day it's down to everybody's own personal preference."
For most of his adult life Carl cared for his mum, who died of a heart attack earlier this year.
Jamie said the family are now faced with organising and paying for two funerals, which prompted him to set up a GoFundMe page to help with the costs.
The 31-year-old from Skelmersdale said: "This family have been through so much and I couldn't just sit there and watch them struggle.
"I had a chat with a few people and thought I would set up a page to see how we did. The response has been brilliant so far."
To donate to the GoFundMe page click here.
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