Captain Sir Tom Moore, the army veteran who won the heart of the nation last year, has died after contracting COVID-19 and pneumonia.
The 100-year-old had been admitted to Bedford Hospital on 31 January after requiring help with his breathing.
Hannah Ingram-Moore, Moore’s daughter, announced that he had been treated for pneumonia over the past few weeks, and last week tested positive for COVID-19.
In a statement, Capt Sir Tom’s daughters Mrs Ingram-Moore and Lucy Teixeira said: “It is with great sadness that we announce the death of our dear father, Captain Sir Tom Moore.
“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.”
The veteran won the nation’s hearts last year after walking 100 laps of his garden before his 100th birthday to raise money for the NHS.
Captain Tom’s initial target had been £1,000, but he ended up raising over £30million.
The UK’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: “Captain Sir Tom Moore was a hero in the truest sense of the world.”
“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.”
“It is quite astonishing that at the age of 100 he raised more than £32 million for the NHS, and so gas countless others their own chance to thank the extraordinary men and women who have protected us through the pandemic.”
He continued to say: “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.”
Feature Image credit: BBC/PA Media
