A funeral was held in England on Saturday Captain Sir Tom Moore, a World War II veteran who became a hero of the coronavirus pandemic.
A Royal Air Force flyby, usually reserved for royalties, heads of state and war heroes, was conducted for the 100-year-old, who died earlier this month after testing positive for coronavirusHis coffin was also draped with a Union Jack and carried by members of the armed forces.
The private service was attended by Moore’s immediate family members and streamed online. Remembering her father, Lucy Teixeira, Moore’s daughter talked about his boyish charm, his sense of humor and the impact he left behind.
“Daddy, I am so proud of you,” she said, “what you have achieved all your life and especially in the last year. You may be gone, but your message and your spirit lives on. ‘
Moore became something of a war hero in the last year of his life. He captured the hearts of millions around the world in 2020 as he walked 100 laps in his backyard to raise money for the UK’s National Health Service.
He originally wanted to raise 1,000 pounds (about $ 1,300), but eventually raised more than 33 million pounds (over $ 40 million) after videos of his walks went viral, reaching millions of people who were at home during the first wave of the pandemic .
His fundraising efforts earned him fame, admiration and a knighthood by Queen Elizabeth in July.
Moore spoke to CBS News foreign correspondent Charlie D’Agata last September about a seven-figure movie deal he signed with his daughter to make a movie of his life, though he said he wasn’t ready for Hollywood’s Walk of Fame.
“Whatever the outcome, I don’t expect to ever get into America and stick my hands in a piece of wet concrete somewhere,” said Moore.
That was one of the few moments that Moore hadn’t experienced. In an epilogue to his book, in which he wrote about his inevitable death, Captain Tom wrote “life will go on, babies will be born and people will eventually forget Captain Tom”.
But Moore added for a while that he would be remembered for the last years of his life rather than the years before. He said he just wanted a little white tombstone to mark his existence, in his words: nothing special.