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Grieving Dad Films Tearful Plea After Spotting Group Of Teenagers Ignoring Lockdown Measures

Lucy Devine

Published 
| Last updated 

Grieving Dad Films Tearful Plea After Spotting Group Of Teenagers Ignoring Lockdown Measures

Featured Image Credit: Caters News

A dad who spotted a group of teenagers drinking together, just minutes after receiving a devastating phone call, has issued a tearful plea urging people to take coronavirus seriously.

Steve Legge, 47, had just found out his stepdad had tragically passed away from COVID-19, when he came across the group of teenagers disregarding the lockdown measures.

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The dad-of-four, from Bath, explained his stepdad, Kev Raynor, 59, had sadly died from the virus. It's believed Kev had caught COVID-19 during a single shopping trip to his local supermarket.

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Property maintenance business owner Steve, was devastated when he heard the news, having been raised by Kev after his mum Aileen, 68, separated from his biological father when he was a baby.

But when Steve saw the group of youngsters hanging around together near his home, he was furious people could be "carrying on as normal" amid the pandemic.

In a heartbreaking video, Steve issued a plea urging everyone to stay home.

Steve was devastated when he saw a group of teenagers ignoring the rules (Credit: Caters News)
Steve was devastated when he saw a group of teenagers ignoring the rules (Credit: Caters News)
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"To anybody who thinks it's alright to go out and to disobey the rules and put everyone's lives at risk. Sadly our Kev lost his battle today," Steve explains.

Breaking down, he continues: "No one was with him, no members of family, my mum's devastated up in Yorkshire, I can't even see my family, we can't even be together through this."

Steve explained his wife, Sabrina, who works in the NHS, is putting her life at risk every day to care for patients suffering with COVID-19.

"And you all think for one minute that it's alright, well it's not alright this is real and you need to stop because my wife is risking her life every single day when she goes to work to look after these people and you've got idiots that are disobeying it all the time. Just stop."

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Kev tragically passed away earlier this month from coronavirus (Credit: Caters News)
Kev tragically passed away earlier this month from coronavirus (Credit: Caters News)

Dad-of-three and grandfather-of-five Kev asked Aileen to call an ambulance on 30th March, after struggling to breathe and suffering with a high fever.

He tested positive for COVID-19 the following day and was put into an induced coma and onto a ventilator. Kev spent three days on the ventilator before showing signs of improvement, only to take a turn for the worst just hours later.

Kev developed an infection and Aileen was asked to sign a 'do not resuscitate' order as his condition deteriorated. He tragically passed away on 6th April.

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Kev with Steve's mum, Aileen (Credit: Caters News)
Kev with Steve's mum, Aileen (Credit: Caters News)

Steve said: "Kev brought me up from being about six years old, so he was my first real father figure.

"Even after he split with my mum he remained in our lives and he would be round at my mum's at least three or four times a week.

"My childhood memories are filled with him and things he did for us as a family - and when I grew up we went fishing together.

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"He was a big strong guy, growing up I thought he was superman. I never thought for a second that this virus would get a man as strong as him.

"When I decided to post the video, I'd just had the worst call in the world from my heartbroken mum telling me Kev had died and I looked out the window to see four or five kids walking down the street laughing and swigging beer.

"I was so angry and upset - I felt like screaming at them and telling them that I'd just lost my stepdad. Do people really need to lose their own loved ones before they take this seriously?"

Steve's wife, Sabrina works in the NHS (Credit: Caters News)
Steve's wife, Sabrina works in the NHS (Credit: Caters News)

Steve's video has since had 950,000 views and 45,000 shares on Facebook.

"Not being able to be there for him and tell him I loved him is the most heart wrenching feeling in the world," Steve added.

"But I'm still taking the dog out once a day for 30 mins and seeing people carrying on as normal, I can't believe it.

"People are gathering in the town centre or they're sat out in parks having picnics.

"I feel like showing these people pictures of Kev and telling them what we have lost, and asking them if they want the same thing to happen to their loved ones.

"My wife works as a radiology assistant and I'm petrified every time she goes out the door for work that she will come home ill.

"You can catch this virus anywhere, what happened to Kev has shown that, I don't know what more can be said to make people understand."

Dad-of-three and grandfather-of-five Kev sadly passed away earlier this month (Credit: Caters News)
Dad-of-three and grandfather-of-five Kev sadly passed away earlier this month (Credit: Caters News)

Steve's mum Aileen added: "He has been a big part of my life for over 40 years. Even when we split up he still came to our house like he was coming home. He was easy to get along with and he was always there for me if I needed something."

Our hearts go out to Steve, Aileen and the rest of the family.

Topics: Life News, News, Coronavirus, Covid-19

Lucy Devine
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