Why Tom Hanks wrote a letter to a boy named Corona

In this Jan. 5, 2020 file photo, Tom Hanks arrives at the 77th annual Golden Globe Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif. | Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP

Hanks sent a letter and a Corona-brand typewiter gift to an Australia boy, whose name was Corona

Tom Hanks has written a letter to a young boy named Corona, who had been bullied over his name due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

What’s the news:

• Hanks sent a letter and a Corona-brand typewiter gift to an Australia boy, whose name was Corona, according to BBC News. The young boy wrote a letter to Hanks and his wife, Rita Wilson, after the celebrity couple was diagnosed with the coronavirus while filming in Australia.

What the boy wrote:

• According to BBC News, the boy wrote: “I heard on the news you and your wife had caught the coronavirus. Are you OK?”
• The boy said he loved his own name but people call him “coronavirus” while at school. He said, “I get very sad and angry when people call me this.”

Hanks response:

• Hanks wrote a letter in response to the boy. His letter read:
• “Your letter made my wife and I feel so wonderful!”
• “You know, you are the only person I’ve ever known to have the name Corona — like the ring around the sun, a crown.”
• “I thought this typewriter would suit you. Ask a grown up how it works. And use it to write me back.”

.@tomhanks has written a heart-felt letter to a young Helensvale boy named Corona. The 8-year-old was being bullied at school and decided to write to the Hollywood superstar and his wife @RitaWilson, after they were diagnosed with Coronavirus. https://t.co/6l2nzFJNn5 #7NEWS pic.twitter.com/H02WF2dRCx

— 7NEWS Gold Coast (@7NewsGoldCoast) April 23, 2020

The bigger picture:

• Hanks and Wilson were two of the first major celebrities to be diagnosed with the coronavirus. The couple were tested while starting preproduction on a biopic about Elvis Presley.
• Hanks and Wilson offered inspiring messages along the way to help those in need. For example, as I wrote for the Deseret News, Hanks posted a message of hope on his Twitter feed.
• Hanks wrote: “Hey, folks. Two weeks after our first symptoms and we feel better. Sheltering in place works like this: You don’t give it to anyone — You don’t get it from anyone. Common sense, no? Going to take awhile, but if we take care of each other, help where we can, and give up some comforts ... this, too, shall pass. We can figure this out. Hanx”

from Deseret News https://ift.tt/2S6ohWZ