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WWII veteran receives staggering 125K birthday cards after raising $50M for coronavirus relief

Click to play video: 'Happy 100th birthday, Capt. Tom Moore!'
Happy 100th birthday, Capt. Tom Moore!
WATCH: Capt. Tom Moore, a Second World War veteran from England, is now 100 years young. He shot to fame after fundraising 30 million pounds ($52.6 million CAD) for British health workers on the front lines of COVID-19. Crystal Goomansingh reports on the heartfelt tributes pouring in – Apr 30, 2020

A Second World War veteran who’s raised $50 million for coronavirus relief in the U.K. has received more than 125,000 birthday cards leading up to his big day on Thursday.

Earlier this month, 99-year-old Capt. Tom Moore, walked laps of his garden with his walker to raise money for health-care workers fighting on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic.

After raising more than $50 million, he became a worldwide hero for his perseverance. Even before his official 100th birthday on Thursday, he received a whopping 125,000 birthday cards from those inspired by him.

Click to play video: 'Thousands of cards flood in for fundraising British veteran Captain Tom’s 100th birthday'
Thousands of cards flood in for fundraising British veteran Captain Tom’s 100th birthday
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A school attended by Moore’s grandson, Benjie Ingram-Moore, has been flooded with cards from well-wishers, the BBC reports.

And they weren’t just from average Joes — big names like Prince William and Kate Middleton sent him their love, too. The duke and duchess even wished him well in a video message shared in a BBC Breakfast interview on April 17.

When Moore’s grandson found out that the post office was being overwhelmed with cards, he asked his school to help out in storing them.

A general view of thousands of birthday cards sent to Capt. Tom Moore for his 100th birthday on April 30 are pictured displayed in the hall of Bedford School, closed down due to the COVID-19 pandemic, in Bedford, U.K. on April 29, 2020. Getty Images
An hourly salute to Capt. Tom Moore in Piccadilly Circus, London. The 99-year-old war veteran’s challenge to raise money for National Health Service charities by walking 100 laps of his garden before his 100th birthday hit £20 million less than two weeks after he began the challenge. He recently completed his 100 laps. Getty Images

“The volume of cards that have been sent to grandad is just astonishing,” 16-year-old Benjie told the BBC.

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“So many of the cards are truly heartfelt with thousands from young children who have taken the time to use their artistic talent and write a personal message.”

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The Second World War veteran first gained global esteem earlier this month when his daughter, Hannah Ingram-Moore, offered to pay him to walk lengths of the garden at their Marston Moretaine, Bedfordshire home.

War veteran Capt. Tom Moore, 99, at his home in Marston Moretaine, Bedfordshire, U.K. after he achieved his goal of 100 laps of his garden, raising more than £19 million for the National Health Service. Getty Images

“I told him, ‘I’ll give you a pound for every length that you do, and if you do 100 by your 100th birthday, that’ll be 100 pounds,’” Ingram-Moore, who lives with her father 80 kilometres north of London, told NBC News.

Two weeks later, Moore had raised over £19 million (C$33 million) on his fundraising page, which was donated to the U.K.’s National Health Service (NHS).

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“I never dreamt I would be involved in such an occasion as this,” Moore told the BBC after his final lap, adding that the amount raised was “an absolute fantastic sum of money.”

As of Wednesday morning, his JustGiving fundraiser has raised more than $50 million of his original £500,000 (C$865,347) goal.

Questions about COVID-19? Here are some things you need to know:

Health officials caution against all international travel. Returning travellers are legally obligated to self-isolate for 14 days, beginning March 26, in case they develop symptoms and to prevent spreading the virus to others. Some provinces and territories have also implemented additional recommendations or enforcement measures to ensure those returning to the area self-isolate.

Symptoms can include fever, cough and difficulty breathing — very similar to a cold or flu. Some people can develop a more severe illness. People most at risk of this include older adults and people with severe chronic medical conditions like heart, lung or kidney disease. If you develop symptoms, contact public health authorities.

To prevent the virus from spreading, experts recommend frequent handwashing and coughing into your sleeve. They also recommend minimizing contact with others, staying home as much as possible and maintaining a distance of two metres from other people if you go out.

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For full COVID-19 coverage from Global News, click here.

meaghan.wray@globalnews.ca

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