Tom Hanks – alongside his wife, Rita Wilson – has been one of the highest-profile sufferers of the novel coronavirus. What’s most inspiring, however, is how the actor’s famous warmth has remained in spite of the illness.
That’s demonstrated by Hanks’ response to a unique letter he received while in the throes of the disease. Of course, it’s common for celebrities to receive letters from fans, but it’s less common for those fans to have this particular name.
“I heard on the news you and your wife had caught the coronavirus,” the letter begins. “Are you OK?” The twist: the well-wishes were written by an eight-year-old boy named Corona.
Corona De Vries goes on to add that he gets bullied at school for his unusual moniker. “I get very sad and angry when people call me this,” he writes, describing how he had previously loved his name.
Despite the avalanche of letters someone like Hanks must receive, the actor found time to respond, in a way that along Hanks could. “Dear Friend Corona,” Hanks’ reply reads, “Your letter made my wife and I feel so wonderful! Thank you for being such a good friend – friends make friends feel good when they are down.”
“You are the only person I’ve ever known to have the name Corona,” Hanks continues, “like the ring around the sun, a crown.” Accompanying the letter was a typewriter emblazoned with the name Corona.
Hanks is known for his eclectic collection of typewriters, and even released a book of short stories themed on the devices. “I thought this typewriter would suit you,” Hanks concludes. “I had taken it to the Gold Coast [where Hanks contracted the virus], and now, it is back – with you. Ask a grown-up how it works. And use it to write me back.”
The actor added a special message at the end of letter, hand-written: “PS! You got a friend in ME!”