Captain Tom Moore, the World War II veteran who entered the hearts of a trapped country while traveling through his garden raising money for health workers, has passed away after a positive test for COVID-19. He was 100 years old.
His family announced his death on Twitter, posting a photo of him behind his walker at a happy moment, ready for an adventure.
“The last year of our father’s life was nothing short of extraordinary. He was rejuvenated and went through things that he had only dreamed of, ” the family statement said. Although he was in so many hearts for a short time, he was a wonderful father and grandfather, and he will live in our hearts forever. . “
Captain Tom, as he became known in headlines and television interviews, wanted to raise £ 1,000 for the UK’s National Health Service by walking 100 laps in his backyard. But his search went viral and captured the imaginations of millions trapped at home during the first wave of the pandemic. Donations came from all over Great Britain and even the United States and Japan, raising about 33 million pounds ($ 40 million).
In April, fans were greeted for three weeks with daily videos of Captain Tom, bent over with age, stubbornly pushing his walker into the garden. But it was his cheerful attitude in a dark time that inspired people to look beyond illness and loss.
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“Please always remember that tomorrow will be a good day,” Moore said in an interview on his walk, saying the words that became his trademark.
When Captain Tom completed his 100th round on April 16, a military guard of honor lined the road. The party continued on his birthday a few days later, when two World War II fighter planes flew over him in tribute. Moore, a plaid blanket draped over his shoulders, clenched his fist as they roared past.
In July, he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in a socially estranged ceremony at Windsor Castle, west of London. The 94-year-old monarch used an incredibly long sword to give credit when Moore, his war medals on his chest, leaned against his walker, smiled and turned into Sir Tom.