‘Beacon of hope’ Captain Tom Moore dies of coronavirus

Captain Sir Tom Moore, who won hearts around the world with a COVID-19 fund raising drive, has died from the disease aged 100.

Captain Sir Tom Moore, who inspired Britain through its darkest days of lockdown and won hearts around the world, has died aged 100.

The WWII veteran, who raised millions for the National Health Service by walking laps of his garden, had been suffering from pneumonia and COVID-19, and died several days after being admitted to Bedford hospital.

pic.twitter.com/4QHUcwrHiH

— Captain Tom Moore (@captaintommoore) February 2, 2021

His daughters, Hannah Ingram-Moore and Lucy Teixeira, said on Wednesday they were “so grateful that we were with him during the last hours of his life”, as there are strict conditions on any social contact in the country at the moment.

“We spent hours chatting to him, reminiscing about our childhood and our wonderful mother,” they said in a statement. “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”.

pic.twitter.com/MN6cZzxEaw

— Captain Tom Moore (@captaintommoore) January 31, 2021

The Queen, who knighted Sir Tom in July, will send a private message of condolence to his family, Buckingham Palace says.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson called Sir Tom an emblem of global hope.

Downing Street said Mr Johnson had spoken with one of Moore’s daughters and had ordered the British flag above Number 10 to be flown at half-mast.

“He became not just a national inspiration but a beacon of hope for the world,” Mr Johnson said.

The Queen knights Sir Tom at Windsor Castle. Picture: Getty Images

“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.”

Health Secretary Matt Hancock tweeted: “I’m so sorry to hear that Captain Tom has passed away in hospital. “He was a great British hero that showed the best of our country & I send my best wishes to his family at this time.”

Sir Tom had initially set out to raise £1000 by walking 100 laps of his garden before his 100th birthday, in gratitude for the treatment he had received for skin cancer and a broken hip, but ended up attracting £32 million ($57m) in donations from 1.5 million supporters. He then became the oldest man to top the UK music charts with a cover of You’ll Never Walk Alone.

Sir Tom was admitted to hospital in Bedford, central England, on Sunday. He had been treated over the past few weeks for pneumonia, before testing positive for COVID-19 last month. Because he was suffering from pneumonia he did not receive the vaccine.

Liz Lees, chief nurse of the local NHS Trust, said it had been “our immense privilege to care for Captain Sir Tom Moore” and paid tribute to him for “the remarkable contribution he has made to the NHS”.

Mandy Alison adds to the thousands of birthday cards sent to Sir Tom for his 100th birthday. Picture: Getty Images

His efforts helped galvanise Britons as the country grappled with the early days of the pandemic, and were credited with giving others hope and help at a time of need and uncertainty.

The British Army paid its own tribute to Sir Tom, who had served in India and Burma (now Myanmar), calling him “an exceptional man and soldier to the end”.

Sir Tom’s 100th birthday on April 30 was marked by a Royal Air Force fly-past, which was also beamed live across the nation. Some 140,000 people sent him cards. He rounded off a remarkable 2020 with a trip to Barbados with his family, and his fundraising haul was marked during the new year drone display in London, as his figure in lights appeared over the O2 Arena.

“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,” his daughters said.