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A 99-Year-Old WWII Veteran Raises Over $17 Million For UK’s NHS By Walking 100 Laps In His Garden

by Gizel Menezes
A 99-Year-Old WWII Veteran Raises Over $17 Million For UK’s NHS By Walking 100 Laps In His Garden

Trust an Army man to know how to give back to his country! In a rather heartwarming attempt to raise funds for UK’s National Health Service (NHS), a 99-year-old World War II veteran has raised nearly $17 million by walking laps in his garden.

Image Courtesy: TRT World

99-Year-Old WWII Veteran Raises Funds For UK’s NHS

Captain Tom Moore decided to raise £1,000 for NHS Charities Together, which collects funds for UK hospitals, including staff, volunteers and patients affected by the coronavirus crisis. So, armed with a walking frame, Moore aimed to walk 100 laps in his 25-meter long garden in Bedfordshire.

Wanting to complete the distance before turning 100 years old (on 30th April), Moore did so well ahead of time by doing 10 laps a day.

Not only did Moore smash his walking target, he also exceeded his original fundraising goal and received around $17 million in donations in just a few days.

Moore Took On The Challenge After Undergoing Treatment At The NHS

Originally from Yorkshire in the northeast of England, Moore now lives with his daughter, son-in-law and two grandchildren in Bedfordshire. He trained as a civil engineer but served as a soldier in India and Myanmar during the war.

Moore decided to take on the challenge after receiving treatment from the NHS for skin cancer and a broken hip. He also praised the healthcare workers for their “patience” and “kindness” in a TV interview.

Taking about the massive donations, Moore told BBC, “It’s a fantastic sum of money. It’s unbelievable that people have been so kind. Maybe I was responsible for starting it, but not deliberately. It was purely out of gratitude for what they’ve done for me.”

The retired soldier also gave a very hopeful message about coping with the coronavirus lockdown to his countrymen. He said, “You’ve all got to remember that we will get through it in the end, it will all be right. For all those people finding it difficult at the moment, the sun will shine on you again and the clouds will go away.”