Tom Hanks sends a letter and a typewriter affirming his newfound friendship with an eight-year-old boy from Gold Coast, Australia.
According to a report, Corona De Vries wrote a letter to the Hollywood star and his wife to express his well-wishes after news came out about the celebrity couple turning out positive for the coronavirus.
Hanks deeply appreciated the boy’s gesture and immediately replied back by sending a corona-brand typewriter, and a typewritten letter personally addressed to the boy.
Tom Hanks pens heartfelt letter to bullied Australian boy named Corona https://t.co/gAxk6URLk4
— The Guardian (@guardian) April 24, 2020
The makings of a lionheart
After the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, the boy has been repeatedly picked on and teased about his name by his peers.
He recalls being disheartened by such treatment and admittedly says that at times, he could not help but “get really sad and angry” when other kids call him Coronavirus.
Despite being bullied, Corona knew he had to be strong and unafraid of the bullies. He consequently learned to tough it out and smile back at those who taunted him.
A friendship between a grown-up and a boy
The golden boy has always been a fan of the American comedy film produced by Pixar, Toy Story. Growing up, he knew Tom Hanks as “Woody” and wrote to him in hopes of finding someone to confide with.
Reportedly, he wrote to Hanks, saying, “I heard on the news you and your wife had caught the coronavirus, are you ok?”
You’ve got a friend in @tomhanks https://t.co/7c6they46z
— Tank’s Good News (@tanksgoodnews) April 25, 2020
Hanks was amused by the pure sentiments behind the boy’s letter and points out that it is quite rare for a child of his age to go out of his way just to ask someone if they are okay.
“Your letter made my wife and I feel so wonderful, ” Hanks replied to the boy in a letter that was typed in a corona-brand typewriter, which he also sent to the boy’s town.
Further, he described how he felt about the child. Hanks sends the letter expressing that although he is the only child he knows to have name ‘Corona,” his letter and pure heart make him much more than what his bullies are making him out to be. For Hanks, the boy’s personality shines amid his cruel and sad experience, and that he is like “a ring around the sun – a crown.”
You’ve got a friend in me
Though the exchange between the two has been quite brief, Corona details that he felt happy about his encounter with “Woody, ” who ended the letter with a typewritten note saying, “P.S. You’ve got a friend in me.”
Your reminder that Tom Hanks is genuinely one of the nicest people on the planet.
(The typewriter in this case is from a maker named Corona, for those who need context here.) https://t.co/k5gkUgXPUj
— John Scalzi (@scalzi) April 24, 2020
Featured image courtesy of Suzy Hazelwood/Pexels.