Tom Hanks Inspiration: 'Cast Away' Star Sends Encouraging Message To 2020 Graduates
Tom Hanks surprised the graduating class of Wright State University in Ohio with a video message. The actor gave everyone an inspiring speech about hope amid the threat of the coronavirus pandemic.
A Message Of Hope
The graduating batch of the Wright State University could not gather together for the usual graduation ceremony due to the world health crisis. However, they still received an inspiring message of hope from the "Cast Away" actor himself, Tom Hanks.
On Saturday, the Oscar-winning actor sent a personal video message to the graduating class of 2020. He referred to them as the "chosen ones," saying that they will be entering the real world amid the ongoing global health concern.
"You are the chosen ones because of a fate unimagined when you began your Wright State adventures," the 63-year old actor said.
Hanks also emphasized that the graduates have lived in the world before the Great Pandemic of 2020, so they could survive this health challenge, too.
"You started in the olden times, in a world back before the Great Pandemic of 2020. You will talk of those earlier years in your lives in just that way," Hanks added.
The actor, who was honored by the school in 2016 through the Tom Hanks Center for Motion Pictures, added that the graduating batch will have their own narrative to tell.
"Part of your lives will forever be identified as 'before,' in the same way other generations tell time like 'that was before the war, or 'that was before the internet,' or 'that was before Beyoncé.' The word 'before' is going to carry great weight with you," Hanks furthered.
After which, he told them of the great responsibility they have amid the challenging times.
"You've gone from student to graduate with more that is expected of you than to just be an American. You've had to be responsible Americans. You've had to be good Americans. Good Americans that have made sacrifices that have saved lives," Hanks continued.
"You'll reference these past weeks for how many other weeks there are to come as 'during the pandemic,' " he said. "During the COVID-19, during the lockdown, the quarantine, the shelter-in-place.' But you're 'after' is not going to look the same as your during and you're 'before."
Hanks also pointed out the enlightenment the pandemic has brought in their lives. It is something no program in college could ever give.
"You will be enlightened in ways your degree never held in promise," Hanks said. "You will have made it through a time of great sacrifice and great need. No one will be more fresh to the task of restarting our normalcy than you - our chosen ones."
In Full Recovery
Tom Hanks, along with his wife Rita Wilson, was the first to come forward to admit he has contracted the coronavirus. They were both in Australia at that time, where Hanks was in a pre-production meeting for a film.
They self-isolated themselves in Australia for two weeks, but they have since returned to Los Angeles. While they are already on their way to full recovery, the actor could not help but look back at how truly challenging the experience was.
Tom and Rita have been very open about sharing their experience with the contagious respiratory condition. Last week, the couple shared pictures of themselves donating blood and plasma to help find a vaccince or cure for COVID-19.
