“There are so many people who are looking the wrong way. It is time to look forward to when things will get better. And they will. Never doubt it: tomorrow will be a good day.”
With these words, Captain Tom Moore hoped to support those struggling on their own while combating loneliness. Seeing his wife Pamela in a care home inspired him to start the Captain Tom Foundation. He said he visited her every day for five years until she died of dementia in 2006. “One day she said, ‘If you didn’t come and see me, I would be very lonely’”—this is a memory that struck a point in Mr. Moore’s heart. “Some residents of the care home never had a visitor and must have been very lonely. That’s what my foundation is for, to help lonely people and people in difficulties, not just old people.”
Being optimistic, whatever the trouble or grief, is a message that Captain Tom Moore, who has recently been knighted by Queen Elizabeth II, wants to pass on to everyone in the world.
Captain Tom Moore’s goal was to walk one hundred laps around his garden for his 100th birthday and to raise £1,000 for for the National Health Service. He planned to walk ten 25-meter laps per day.
Captain Tom’s ambition to raise money for the National Health Service (NHS) struck a chord with a country in lockdown.
An initial appearance on a national radio program snowballed into over 150 media appearances. Captain Tom increased his goal from £1,000 to £5,000 to half a million pounds. When his GoFundMe campaign ended he had raised over £32 million (in 3 weeks) for key workers in the NHS.
Since completing his walk he has had a national number one song (the oldest person ever), written a bestselling book and launched a charity to continue the good work. Needless to say, he was overjoyed to be knighted by the Queen for his selfless achievement.
And he had a very happy 100th birthday.