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Queen Knights 100-Year-Old WWII Veteran Who Raised $40 Million For NHS

Captain Tom Moore, the 100-year-old WWII veteran who completed 100 laps and raised $40 million for the UK's National Health Service (NHS), has just been knighted by Queen Elizabeth II, CNN reported.

On Friday, Moore received his knighthood at Windsor Castle in an outdoor ceremony which saw the Queen return to her public duties for the first time since the coronavirus outbreak forced her to cancel such appearances.

Decades before he became the beloved viral sensation that he is today, Moore was a captain in the British armed forces.

Twitter | @captaintommoore

According to the BBC, he served in India and Burma (known today as Myanmar) during World War II, and later worked as an instructor in armed warfare.

After the war, Moore lived in Kent for quite a few years before eventually moving to Bedfordshire to be with his family in 2007.

It was the treatment he received from NHS workers after undergoing cancer treatment and suffering a broken hip that inspired him to pursue his charity walk.

Twitter | @captaintommoore

In April 2020, at the age of 99, Moore decided he would celebrate his upcoming 100th birthday by completing 100 laps around his yard to raise money for the NHS during the coronavirus pandemic as a special "thank you" for the organization's "magnificent" staff.

He originally hoped to raise at least £1,000 (around $1,256 USD) for workers. However, after word of his charity walk quickly spread around the world, the donations began pouring in, and that number grew exponentially before he'd even taken a single step.

By April 14, Moore had already raised £4 million, the equivalent of $5 million USD.

Twitter | @captaintommoore

By the time he had actually finished the 100 laps of his garden on April 17 (well before the goal of his birthday on April 30), Moore had raised £17 million (around $21 million) for NHS workers.

"I never dreamt I would be involved in such an occasion as this," he said at the end of his final lap, as per the BBC.

Even once his charity walk was completed, Moore wasn't done collecting donations.

According to the fundraiser's official website, Moore has raised an incredible £32,796,357 (around $40 million USD) from more than one and a half million supporters spanning the globe.

His story has also helped inspire countless others to pursue their own fundraising efforts to help support health care workers who are on the frontlines of this unprecedented pandemic.

In May, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson made a special nomination for Moore to be knighted.

Twitter | @captaintommoore

Upon his nomination, Johnson said the veteran had provided England with "a beacon of light through the fog of coronavirus".

"On behalf of everyone who has been moved by his incredible story, I want to say a huge thank you," he said. "[Moore] is a true national treasure."

Prior to receiving his knighthood, Moore took to Twitter to share his feelings about the impending ceremony.

"I could never have imagined this would happen to me," he said. "It is such a huge honour and I am very much looking forward to meeting Her Majesty The Queen."

"It is going to be the most special of days for me."

On Friday at Windsor Castle, Moore was formally knighted by Queen Elizabeth II, who used her father's sword to bestow the honor.

"Thank you so much, an amazing amount of money you raised," she told the veteran, as per CNN.

In attendance to witness Moore's knighting was his daughter Hannah Ingram-Moore, his son-in-law Colin Ingram, his grandson Benji, and his granddaughter Georgia.

After the ceremony was completed, Moore shared his joy with his followers on Twitter.

After thanking the royal family, he wrote,

"I have been overwhelmed by the many honours I have received over the past weeks, but there is simply nothing that can compare to this, I am overwhelmed with pride and joy."

Congratulations, Captain Sir Tom Moore!

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