Tom Hanks has sent a letter and a Corona brand typewriter to an Australian boy who wrote to him about being bullied over his name - Corona.
Corona De Vries, an eight-year-old from the Gold Coast, wrote to the Hollywood star after he and his wife, Rita, had spent more than two weeks in quarantine after testing positive for COVID-19 there.
The boy had written to Hanks saying: "I heard on the news you and your wife had caught the coronavirus," Channel 7 News reported.
"Are you OK?"
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He said he loved his name but people at school called him the coronavirus, which made him "sad and angry".
"Your letter made my wife and I feel so wonderful!" Hanks replied in a letter typed on a Corona typewriter which he had taken to the Gold Coast.
"You know, you are the only person I've ever known to have the name Corona - like the ring around the sun, a crown," the double Oscar winner wrote to the boy.
"I thought this typewriter would suit you," an image of the letter aired by Channel 7 News showed.
"Ask a grown-up how it works. And use it to write me back."
Hanks handwrote at the end: "P.S. You got a friend in ME!"
People in Australia must stay at least 1.5 metres away from others and gatherings are limited to two people unless you are with your family or household.
If you believe you may have contracted the virus, call your doctor (don’t visit) or contact the national Coronavirus Health Information Hotline on 1800 020 080. If you are struggling to breathe or experiencing a medical emergency, call 000.
SBS is committed to informing Australia’s diverse communities about the latest COVID-19 developments. News and information is available in 63 languages at sbs.com.au/coronavirus.
