Captain Sir Tom Moore leaves world with a 'powerful message', daughter says

Captain Sir Tom Moore has left the world with a "really strong powerful message" his daughter has said, speaking publicly for the first time since his death.

Sir Tom's death on Tuesday after testing positive for Covid-19 prompted global reaction and charities have vowed his legacy will live on "for years and years".

Lucy Teixeira, a homeopath based in Caversham, said her father’s motto, “tomorrow will be a good day”, represents his “whole life”.

"He has shown resilience, courage, and I have seen him do that all his life,” she told ITV News.

Mrs Teixeira said she learned to share her father with everyone since he found fame and secured a place "in the hearts of the whole nation, in fact the world" ahead of his 100th birthday during the first national lockdown in 2020.

The Second World War veteran set out to raise £1,000 for NHS Charities Together by walking 100 laps of his garden before his 100th birthday last April.

In the end he raised more than £32 million.

Sir Tom was admitted to hospital on January 12, he was diagnosed with pneumonia and discharged to return to the family home in Marston Moretaine, Bedfordshire, 10 days later.

He was admitted to hospital for a second time on Sunday as his family said he needed help with his breathing. He died on Tuesday with his other daughter Hannah, and grandchildren Benjie and Georgia, at his bedside.

Lucy was able to speak to him on FaceTime before he passed, which she said she was "grateful" for.

"He was Covid-19 positive so I didn't attend so I saw him through FaceTime,” she told ITV.

"We told him funny stories, I showed him some photos. My sister played him video messages from my sons which he acknowledged.

"It was a really special time. He was able to nod."

Calls have been made for a statue to be erected to honour Sir Tom's memory.

Katie Locke, a friend and colleague of Mrs Teixeira, wrote on Facebook that when asked what people could do to show their support Mrs Teixeira replied: “If you would like to show your love and support in any way please just plant trees, just plant trees.”

Reflecting on what she would like to see happen to memorialise her father, she told ITV: "At the moment, my sister Hannah and I are planning a careful send-off that is suitable to him, quite quiet in a manner that he would say to us 'well done, girls'.”

She said she couldn’t “possibly comment” on anything else that might happen.

"I know that there are things being talked about, but my sister and I are focussing on planning the next stage and celebrating the end of his life,” she added.

It is understood the family have told ministers they do not want to be given special exemptions for his funeral and the plans are expected to be released next week. Current lockdown restrictions mean only 30 people can attend funerals in a Covid-secure venue.

Lt Col David O’Kelly, Regimental Secretary of the Yorkshire Regiment (which Sir Tom's former regiment - Duke of Wellington's - merged with), said they had reached out to the family and stood ready to provide military honours if the family desired.

Mrs Teixeira said her father had a long life and a peaceful death, adding: "I'm really grateful for that and I know that my sister is. He had a good innings, as he would say, and he would also say something has to get you in the end.”

She said she understood the public were sad about his death.

“They knew him for a very short time, but I know that his life has been a really good life and the last year it couldn't have been more full and being knighted by the Queen and meeting all those amazing people, having a number one single - what's not to like and understand,” she said.

Prior to the pandemic, she visited her father - who lived with his daughter Hannah - at least once a month.

"At some point during the four weeks when all that money was being raised, he was just so busy,” she said.

“I had, and my sister had, been planning a 100th birthday party with him and a small amount of friends and of course that didn't happen.”

“Nothing surprises me anymore”, she said, recalling a time last year asking him what he had been doing and it turned out David Beckham had visited the day before.

"He took it all in his stride, I was really proud of him, really proud of my family,” she said.

Remembering her wedding day 25 years ago she said her father provided a "steadying hand".

"I remember very clearly that in the wedding car, and I was feeling very jittery, I said: 'Daddy, please tell me something really boring'," she said.

"So he did and he kept me calm and I think he told me a story about concrete pipes, something really boring about concrete pipes and it was really good, it was really good."