Captain Sir Tom Moore: 'National inspiration' dies with Covid-19

BBC News
5-7 minutes

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-55881753

Captain Sir Tom Moore has died with coronavirus.

The 100-year-old, who raised almost £33m for NHS charities by walking laps of 
his garden, was admitted to Bedford Hospital on Sunday.

The Queen led tributes to Capt Sir Tom, "recognising the inspiration he 
provided for the whole nation and others across the world".

His daughters said they "shared laughter and tears" with their father in their 
final few hours together.

Announcing his death, Hannah Ingram-Moore and Lucy Teixeira said the last year 
of their father's life had been "nothing short of remarkable".

He tested positive for Covid-19 last week. His family said due to other 
medication he was receiving for pneumonia, he was unable to be vaccinated.

The Army veteran won the nation's hearts by walking 100 laps of his garden in 
Marston Moretaine in Bedfordshire last year during the first lockdown, raising 
money for NHS Charities Together.

He was credited with lifting the nation's spirits and his saying "Tomorrow will 
be a good day" trended on social media.

He was knighted by the Queen in July in a special ceremony at Windsor Castle.

A Buckingham Palace spokeswoman said: "Her Majesty very much enjoyed meeting 
Capt Sir Tom and his family at Windsor last year. Her thoughts, and those of 
the royal family, are with them, recognising the inspiration he provided for 
the whole nation and others across the world."

In a statement, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: "Captain Sir Tom Moore was a 
hero in the truest sense of the word. In the dark days of the Second World War 
he fought for freedom and in the face of this country's deepest post-war crisis 
he united us all, he cheered us all up, and he embodied the triumph of the 
human spirit.

"He became not just a national inspiration but a beacon of hope for the world. 
Our thoughts are with his daughter Hannah and all his family."

The flag above 10 Downing Street has been flying at half-mast in tribute and Mr 
Johnson has spoken to Mrs Ingram-Moore to offer his condolences.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer tweeted: "This is incredibly sad news. Captain 
Tom Moore put others first at a time of national crisis and was a beacon of 
hope for millions. Britain has lost a hero."

The daughters' statement said: "It is with great sadness that we announce the 
death of our dear father.

"We are so grateful that we were with him during the last hours of his life; 
Hannah, Benjie and Georgia by his bedside and Lucy on FaceTime.

"We spent hours chatting to him, reminiscing about our childhood and our 
wonderful mother. We shared laughter and tears together.

"The last year of our father's life was nothing short of remarkable. He was 
rejuvenated and experienced things he'd only ever dreamed of.

"Whilst he'd been in so many hearts for just a short time, he was an incredible 
father and grandfather, and he will stay alive in our hearts forever."

Capt Sir Tom's daughters said the care he received from the NHS was 
"extraordinary".

They said staff had been "unfalteringly professional, kind and compassionate 
and have given us many more years with him than we ever would have imagined".

Capt Sir Tom, who was originally from Keighley in West Yorkshire, joined the 
Army at the beginning of World War Two, serving in India and Myanmar, then 
known as Burma.

He had initially set out to raise £1,000 for NHS charities by walking 82ft 
(25m)-loops of his garden.

But he eventually raised £32,794,701 from more than 1.5 million supporters, and 
was given the honorary title of colonel on his 100th birthday,

NHS Charities Together said that would rise to £39m when Gift Aid was taken 
into account.

Ellie Orton, chief executive, said the funds raised by Capt Sir Tom had 
"reached the length and breadth of the UK through every one of our 241 member 
charities".

She said he was "a one-off and he leaves the world a better place".

Ruth May, chief nursing officer for NHS England, said Capt Sir Tom Moore "has 
been the model of all that has been good about our country's response to 
Covid-19".

She said in a statement "for me his biggest achievement and most important 
contribution to helping my fellow nurses, doctors and all those in the NHS 
responding to coronavirus, has been how he brought the country together and 
gave us all a boost when we most needed it".

Capt Sir Tom became the oldest person to have a UK number one single when he 
recorded You'll Never Walk Alone with Michael Ball last year.

The singer said on Twitter: "A wonderful life so well lived and a hero and 
fighter to the very end. So very sad".


Find BBC News: East of England on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. If you have 
a story suggestion email eastofenglandn...@bbc.co.uk

_______________________________________________
Infowarrior mailing list
Infowarrior@attrition.org
https://attrition.org/mailman/listinfo/infowarrior

Reply via email to