99-year-old veteran raises more than $6 mil to support medical staff during COVID

A 99-year-old British war veteran has raised more than $6 million for Britain’s National Health Service by walking laps around his garden. 

Veteran Tom Moore, who will turn 100 years old on April 30th, began the challenge last Thursday – offering to complete 100 laps around his yard, aided by his walker, in exchange for donations to the NHS. 

Moore’s original target was to raise $1,257 by his 100th birthday, but he surpassed that goal within 24 hours.

Moore was a civil engineer before enlisting in the British Army during World War II, where he served in India, Indonesia, and Britain. After retiring from the military, he became the managing director of a concrete manufacturer. 

Moore trained as a civil engineer before being enlisted in the British Army during World War II, where he served in India, Indonesia and Britain. He later became the managing director of a concrete manufacturer.

His daughter, Hannah Ingram-Moore, told CNN that her father had been exercising daily following a recent partial hip replacement and she suggested he challenge himself to do it daily in order to raise funds.

To raise awareness about the challenge, Moore’s grandson, Benji, set up a Twitter account for his grandfather — which has now amassed more than 48,000 followers.

“We set it up on April 8 and we’ve been explaining where the followers are and he’s been reading Twitter every day,” she said.

“He’s stoic, humorous, steady as a rock and positive,” his daughter said. “He always believes that tomorrow is a better day, which is his new hashtag [on Twitter], and is how we were brought up.

“He’s a hard worker and a grafter.”