Coronavirus Good News: War Veterans Beating Coronavirus

Coronavirus has infected nearly a million people worldwide, amid the doom and gloom, here is some good news to keep things in perspective.

By Grace Girling

As the coronavirus pandemic continues to write bleak headlines, good news seems extremely hard to find. Lockdown is difficult for a myriad of reasons, so at a time when spirits are in need of being lifted, it is important to celebrate good news when we see it.

104 Year-Old Survives Coronavirus

Bill Lapschies a “resilient” 104-year old-man, as described by his son-in-law, who caught coronavirus at the Edward C. Allworth Veterans’ home in Oregon on March 5th has fully recovered as of the beginning of April.

He his thought to be the oldest person to recover from the virus. His family have said they are grateful for the kindness and care the staff at the home provided while he recovered. This good news came just in time for his birthday, which was celebrated with a social-distancing party attended by his family over chocolate cake and his favourite pizza.

Lapschies is no stranger to surviving pandemics, as he would have been just a toddler when the Spanish flu pervaded across the world. Lapschies has also witnessed the Great Depression in addition to a couple of other major recessions. Not to mention his time stationed in the Aleutian Islands of Alaska during World War II.

Although he has witnessed some of the darker moments of the last century, it is important to remember he has also experienced humanity recover from these times and its flourishing years, more of which he shall hopefully experience after the clearance of this pandemic, at which point his five great-great grandchildren can’t wait to hug him and take him for a drive with a view of the river and mountains.

Captain Tom Moore

Another World War II Army Veteran has raised more than £12m for the NHS to support them as they fight against COVID-19, much more than his original target of £1000. 99 year-old Tom Moore, also known as “Captain Tom”, set out to complete 100 laps of his garden at his Bedfordshire Home by Thursday 16th April, with the aid of his walking frame.

Captain Moore enlisted at the beginning of WW2, and served in Burma and India.

Although he has achieved this goal and his fundraising target he has now said he will not stop and hopes to do another 100 laps. Nearly 170,000 people worldwide have helped him to raise this incredible amount by donating to his fund-raising page which was set up just last week.

Mr Moore began this fund-raising endeavour to thank the “magnificent” NHS staff who helped him and provided care when he received treatment for skin cancer and a broken hip. The money he has raised will be spent on essential well-being packs for NHS staff, rest and recuperation rooms and electronic devices to enable hospital patients to keep in contact with loved ones.

NHS Charities Together who will see the benefits from these funds have said they are “truly inspired and humbled”. Mr Moore also has an important message for us all that provides hope – “Let’s all carry on and remember that things will get better”.

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Coronavirus has infected nearly a million people worldwide, amid the doom and gloom, here is some good news to keep things in perspective.