Tempy Pattinson melted millions of hearts with her video telling a blinded soldier why she raises cash for Help For Heroes – and you can help her
The five-year-old's video talking to the soldier who was shot through the head by a sniper in Iraq has been seen 25 million times
LITTLE Tempy Pattinson has won the hearts of millions after telling a blinded soldier why she raises money for charity Help for Heroes.
They talk about his injuries and she tells him about her fund- raising efforts, to help mark the charity’s tenth anniversary.
She says: “Even though I didn’t know any of the soldiers, I just thought that they did something for us. I just thought I can give a present back to them.”
Tempy’s interest began when she asked mum Emily, 28, about the annual poppy appeal.
At three, she raised £53 with a 100m swim. Last year, she collected £450 through a mini- triathlon, where she ran, swam and rode her bike with stabilisers.
She is planning a 5k run next month.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
Go to
Lecturer Emily, from Darlington, said: “I believe she’ll continue fund-raising for the rest of her life.”
Simon had 25 operations to rebuild his face and has only minimal vision in one eye.
But the 38-year-old, one of the first veterans helped by the charity, said: “There’s no doubt Tempy is the star of the video.”
MOST READ IN NEWS
WHAT THEY SAID
T: My name is Temperance Pattinson but everybody calls me Tempy. I don’t mind what you call me. I am five-and-a-half and I come from Darlington. I did a 100metre swim and I did a triathlon.
S: My name’s Simon Brown and I’m from Leeds in West Yorkshire and I was a soldier for 13 years in the Army and in 2006 I was injured whilst on a rescue mission in Iraq. I was shot by a sniper. I was very fortunate to survive and then when I came home I found that I’d lost my sight and I had to rebuild my life after being told I was going to be a blind man and leave the Army.
T: What was the thing you got shot by again?
S: It was a bullet no bigger than the end of my little finger and it went in my face (points to left cheek) and came out here (points to right cheek). As I said, I was very lucky that I didn’t get killed.
Can you tell me why you swam 100metres and why you did a triathlon?
T: Because even though I didn’t know any soldiers I just thought that they did something for us. I just thought I can give a present back to them by raising them money. I am quite proud of the soldiers.
S: I’m telling you now that the soldiers are proud of you because I’m 38-and-a-half and I can’t do a triathlon.
T: I’m also scared to go on my bike so that was quite a challenge for me because I’m afraid to ride it!
S: Did you have stabilisers?
T: Yeah, ’cause I haven’t learned how to do it with only two wheels yet.
S: You like to challenge yourself don’t you?
T: Yes, because the soldiers challenge themselves.
S: That’s right, they do.
T: And you didn’t die when you got shot in the eyes.
S: I got shot in the face, not quite the eye but it was close enough. I didn’t die I was lucky and I got home and then I had to rebuild my life and it’s because of the challenges that you do and the money you raise, the support you get that people like me can get better. So that’s why people like you are our heroes.
T: Thanks and people like you are mine.
S: So it works, doesn’t it?
T: Yeah!