Captain Sir Tom Moore’s daughter has criticized those who bashed his family in his final days, in a recent interview with BBC Breakfast.
Hannah Ingram-Moore, who lost her 100-year-old father to Covid-19 on February 2, said that the war veteran would have been “broken” had he been made aware of the hate towards his final vacation to the Caribbean before Christmas.
Sir Tom became a national treasure in the year before his death, after raising millions of pounds for the NHS during the first lockdown. The former British Army officer, who served in India in the Second World War, set about walking 100 lengths of his garden in the build-up to his 100th birthday last April.
His fundraising mission quickly drew widespread attention, with his initial goal of £1000 soaring to a whopping £32 million.
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This incredible achievement didn’t stop some people from chastising Sir Tom though. A select few members of the public weren’t so happy with his trip to Barbados in December, a lifelong dream of the Bedford granddad. Despite following coronavirus travel rules, the family was lambasted for taking an international flight during the lockdown.
Hannah refused to let the trolls dampen her father’s spirit though, opting not to share the bad press with him on his last holiday.
"I couldn't tell him,” she admitted. "I think it would have broken his heart, honestly, if we'd said to him people are hating us.”
The business recruitment officer, who was the voice of The Captain Tom Foundation, didn’t see the point of explaining the backlash to her elderly dad.
"Because how do you rationalize to a 100-year-old man that something so incredibly good can attract such horror?”
She proceeded to dismiss the trolls as ‘that vile minority’ and revealed, “We wouldn't play to them, we're not, because we are talking to the massive majority of people who we connect with."
Sir Tom flew out to the sun-soaked Caribbean on December 11 with his family, on a trip organized by British Airways and Visit Barbados. Delighted to accomplish the ‘bucket list’ goal, the centenarian spent the vacation relaxing in the 29-degree weather and reading novels. He also met a fellow knighted celebrity during the holiday - Sir Cliff Richard.
The British musician was more than happy to be introduced to the ex-military man, sharing the news with his Facebook followers following his death.
“How privileged, Russ Abbot and I were to meet this most wonderful man during his visit to Barbados! He was easy to be with and I understand why Sir Captain Tom was such an inspiration to all of us. Rest In Peace."
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