LONDON (AP) – Captain Tom Moore, a World War II veteran who entered the heart of a closed nation as he walked up and down his garden to raise money for health workers, died after testing positive and COVID-19. He was 100 years old.
Her family announced her death on Twitter, posting a photo of her behind her walker at a happy time, ready for an adventure.
“The last year of our father’s life was not remarkable. He was rejuvenated and experienced things he had only dreamed of, “the family statement said.” Although he recently had so many hearts, he was an amazing father and grandfather and will live on in our hearts forever. ” .
Captain Tom, as reported by newspaper headlines and television interviews, set out to raise £ 1,000 for Britain’s National Health Service by walking 100 laps in his garden. But his search went viral and captured the imagination of millions trapped at home during the first wave of the pandemic. Donations came from all over Britain and as far away as the United States and Japan, reaching about £ 33 million ($ 40 million).
For three weeks in April, fans were greeted with daily videos of Captain Tom, leaning with age, stubbornly pushing his walker into the garden. But it was his sunny attitude during a dark time that inspired people to look beyond illness and loss.
“Always remember, tomorrow will be a good day,” Moore said in an interview during his walk, uttering the words that became his trademark.
When Captain Tom finished his hundred laps on April 16, a military honor guard set out on the road. The celebration continued its anniversary a few days later, when two World War II-era fighter jets flew over in homage. Moore, a plaid blanket over his shoulders, threw a fist as they passed roaring.
In July, he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in a socially distant ceremony at Windsor Castle, west London. The 94-year-old monarch used an incredibly long sword to honor him, as Moore, with his war medals on his chest, leaned on his walker, emitted lightning, and became and Sir Tom.
“I have been overwhelmed by the many honors I have received over the last few weeks, but there is simply nothing that can compare to that,” he tweeted after the ceremony. “I am overwhelmed with pride and joy.”
Queen Elizabeth II is planning a private message of condolence to the family, Buckingham Palace said.
“His Majesty was very pleased to meet Captain Sir Tom and his family in Windsor last year,” the palace said in a statement. “His thoughts and those of the royal family are with them, recognizing the inspiration he provided to the whole nation and to other people in the world.”
Flags were lowered at Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s office on Downing Street. The British leader described Moore as a “hero in the truest sense of the word.”
Born in Keighley, West Yorkshire, on 30 April 1920, Moore completed an apprenticeship in civil engineering before being enlisted in the army during the early months of World War II. After being selected for officer training, he rose to the rank of captain while serving in India, Burma and Sumatra.
After leaving the Army in 1946, Moore went to work at the family-building firm. After failing, he became a salesman and later a manager of building materials companies. When the concrete company he worked for was threatened with closure, Moore gathered a group of investors and bought it, retaining 60 jobs.
Along the way, he divorced his first wife and fell in love with the office manager of his employer, Pamela. The couple married, had two daughters and eventually retired to Spain, but returned to England after Pamela Moore fell ill.
After his wife died in 2006, Moore moved to the village of Marston Moretaine in Bedfordshire to live with his youngest daughter, Hannah, and his family.
The motorcycle hiker slowed down at age 98 after falling and broke his hip in 2018. A hiker replaced his Skoda Yeti but continued to move.
During a barbecue in the garden in early April last year, Moore’s family challenged him to walk the entire length of the 25-foot (82-foot) walkway. After reaching the end, his son-in-law encouraged him to move on, offering to pay £ 1 for each lap and suggesting a 100-lap goal on Moore’s 100th birthday.
The challenge got rid of here.
Moore thought he might be able to raise £ 1,000 ($ 1,363) for the doctors and nurses who cared for him after breaking his hip, and his family used social media to publicize “the 100th anniversary of the Captain Tom Moore for the NHS “. A local radio journalist first called the national stations. Soon, the international media was waiting in front of the garden gate.
As he pushed his walker up and down the garden path, people facing the first blockade of the UK pandemic watched online. Soon, #TomorrowWillBeAGoodDay was all the rage on Twitter.
“People told me there was something on my little walk that captured the hearts of those who were still in shock from the crisis,” Moore wrote in his autobiography. “With an increasing number of deaths and the possibility of months of blockade, everyone was desperate for good news. Apparently, a 99-year-old former army captain who had fought in Burma was recovering from a broken hip and doing what he can for the NHS was what they needed. “
Prince Harry, Prime Minister Boris Johnson and dozens of celebrities cheered him on.
But it was the public who embraced Captain Tom, flooding the village post office with some 6,000 gifts and 140,000 birthday cards. Moore was amazed that someone would spend £ 2 ($ 2.74) on a card for him and then put on a mask to wait in line at a post office to mail it.
He was named an honorary member of the England cricket team, received his name and received the Freedom of the City of London award.
Moore enjoyed the praise, but remained focused on the others.
He dedicated his autobiography, “Tomorrow Will Be a Good Day,” to “all those who serve on the front lines of any battle, whether military, psychological, or medical.”
In the end, Captain Tom urged the public to take care of each other and thanked the country that inspired them to inspire him.
“I felt a little frustrated and disappointed after breaking my hip and it blew my confidence,” he said after completing his trip. “However, the last three weeks have put a spring in my way again. I renewed my purpose and enjoyed every second of this exciting adventure, but I can’t keep walking forever. “