'Captain Sir Tom' Loses His Battle With COVID

First, he captivated the world at the age of 99 by raising money for health care workers fighting COVID. Then, Britain's Tom Moore contracted the virus himself at age 100. And on Tuesday, Moore's family announced that he has died, reports the AP. In April, the World War II vet did 100 laps in his backyard with the aid of his walker, a fundraising effort that went viral and eventually rose $40 million from donors across the world. "The last year of our father's life was nothing short of remarkable," says a family statement, referring to him by the honorific that had become familiar: Captain Sir Tom, per the BBC. "He was rejuvenated and experienced things he'd only ever dreamed of."

Moore's two daughters wrote that they were able to be with their father in the hospital in his final hours. "We spent hours chatting to him, reminiscing about our childhood and our wonderful mother," they wrote. "We shared laughter and tears together." Moore had recently been treated for pneumonia and tested positive for COVID last week. He was hospitalized on Sunday when he developed trouble breathing. (He was indeed a "sir"—Queen Elizabeth II knighted him for his efforts.)