Tom Hanks writes to bullied boy called Corona
Onscreen or off-screen, Tom Hanks is known for winning hearts. So, the legendary Hollywood actor just did his regular thing when he sent a heartfelt letter to a young boy in Australia. The boy, named Corona, is bullied because of his name's similarity with the coronavirus. Hanks penned the letter days after he himself recovered from the deadly virus. Here is more on this.
8-year-old Corona wrote to Hanks asking about his health
Corona De Vries, an 8-year-old from Gold Coast in Australia's Queensland, wrote to the superstar, asking about his health. "I heard on the news you and your wife had caught the coronavirus," the boy said, according to local media reports. "Are you okay," he asked. Corona added that he loves his name but friends at school call him coronavirus, which deeply upsets him.
Your letter made us feel wonderful, Hanks replied
In a letter typed on a Corona-brand typewriter that he had earlier taken to Australia, Hanks replied, "Your letter made my wife and I feel so wonderful!" Offering words of encouragement to the young fan, the two-time Oscar-winning actor added, "You know, you are the only person I've ever known to have the name Corona - like the ring around the sun, a crown."
Hanks even gifted his typewriter to the boy
As per the letter, Hanks has also gifted his beloved typewriter to the boy. "I thought this typewriter would suit you... Ask a grown-up how it works. And use it to write me back," Hanks told the boy. At the bottom of the letter, Hanks wrote, "PS. You got a friend in Me," thereby making a reference to his movie Toy Story's theme song.
You can read Hanks' full letter here
Hanks and wife Rita contracted COVID-19 last month
Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson tested positive for the coronavirus in March. At that time, the couple was in Australia, where Wilson had a few concerts and Hanks started filming the Elvis Presley biopic. In the biographical movie by Baz Luhrmann, Hanks is playing Presley's long-time manager Colonel Tom Parker. Fully recovered, they returned to the US two weeks after that.
