Here’s both a quote of the day:
“We will get through it in the end but it might take time, but at the end of the day we shall all be okay again… the sun will shine on you again and the clouds will go away.”
…and the story behind it:
A 99-year-old World War II veteran has completed his quest to walk 100 laps of his garden in eastern England and raised 13 million pounds ($16 million) for Britain´s National Health Service.
Tom Moore’s humble mission to support health care workers during the coronavirus pandemic became a national rallying point. Tens of thousands of Britons pledged donations as Moore pursued a goal of finishing the laps before his 100th birthday on April 30.
With the aid of a walking frame, he reached his target Thursday. Nine soldiers from the Yorkshire Regiment, a unit linked to Moore’s former British army regiment, lined the paved walkway in his Bedfordshire backyard, forming an honor guard for the veteran’s final laps.
“I´ve fought so many battles and we´ve always won, and we´re going to win again,” Moore told British broadcaster ITV.
He added that health workers on the front line “deserve everything we can give them.”
Moore started the fundraiser as a way to thank the doctors and nurses who cared for him after his broke his hip. His family initially set a target of raising 1,000 pounds. The campaign went viral after Moore appeared on national television, and millions were raised within a week.
Here’s the timeline:
April 9: Captain Tom Moore and his family launch the ‘Captain Tom Moore’s 100th Birthday Walk for the NHS’ fundraising on JustGiving with a £1,000 target
April 10, 2pm: Fundraising reaches £1,000 target in 24 hours, and family set new £100,000 target
April 11, 7pm: The £100,000 target is reached and a new aim of £250,000 is set
April 12, 2.30pm: Fundraiser hits £250,000 after Captain Moore appears on BBC Radio 2 and talks to the singer Michael Ball
April 14, 12pm: Captain Moore’s donations hit £1million
April 15, 10am: Donations get to £5million
April 15, 5pm: Health Secretary Matt Hancock praises him as an ‘inspiration’ as donations get to £8million
April 15, 11pm: The fundraiser reaches £10million
April 16, 7am: Donations get to £12million
April 16, 12pm: The fundraiser hits £13million
April 17, 3pm: It gets to £14million three hours later
Bravo, Mr. Moore. I see the Brits are probably going to give the old man a knighthood.
We are not worthy, to have such men among us.
Compare and contrast: