The family of Captain Sir Tom Moore has confirmed that the 100-year-old veteran of World War II, famous for raising awareness and leading fundraising efforts in the early days of the coronavirus pandemic, is down with the COVID-19.
His daughter, Hannah Ingram-Moore, noted that he needed help with his breathing and was rushed to the hospital. Moore raised nearly £33 million for the National Health Service in an attempt to help the public health service cope with the increasing rate of COVID-19 infections in Britain.
Ingram-Moore said that her father had been undergoing treatment for pneumonia for several weeks before testing positive for the virus. A representative for the family said Moore had not been able to get vaccinated for COVID-19 yet because he was already on treatment for pneumonia.
The UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson quickly reacted to the news of Moore’s health condition. Using his official Twitter handle, Johnson said his thoughts were with the family at this challenging period of their lives. He noted that Moore had inspired the whole nation with his initiatives, and he was sure the captain would be back on his feet in no time, the BBC reports.
Moore, originally from Keighley, first came into the public’s consciousness when he took a walk of about 100 laps around his garden in Marston Moretaine, Bedfordshire, just before his 100th Birthday. Moore achieved this feat during the first country-wide lockdown that was declared back in March. His feat attracted worldwide admiration, and Moore was made a knight by the Queen.
In December, he was placed on an all-expense-paid trip to Barbados by British Airways in recognition of his humanitarian works.
Ingram-Moore said via Twitter that her dad was with the family all through the weekend until he had difficulty breathing and had to be admitted to the hospital. However, the daughter admitted that Moore had been under the best healthcare possible over several weeks. She said she believed her father would be out of the hospital very soon.
The NHS, which benefitted from the millions that Moore was able to raise, said he was an inspiration to the entire country. The NHS said Moore inspired other individuals to take up creative steps to raise money for the NHS.
Since the announcement of Moore’s health challenge, social media has been abuzz with well-wishers and admirers of the veteran sending out their messages of hope to the family. The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, Health Secretary Matt Hancock, and England’s national football teams, were among those who sent their warm wishes to the centenarian.
Source: cbsnews.com
