Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson want to donate blood to help researchers come up with a 'Hank-ccine' for Covid-19
Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson -- two of the world's most famous COVID-19 patients who beat the disease -- have now offered to share their blood in order to aid research on fighting the disease.
During a recent appearance on NPR podcast 'Wait, Wait ... Don't Tell Me!', the 'Castaway' star said he and his wife are willing to donate their blood so that scientists can study it to aid coronavirus research, considering their blood now carries coronavirus antibodies, CNN reports.
"We have not only been approached, we have said, 'Do you want our blood? Can we give plasma?' " Hanks said during the podcast. "And in fact, we will be giving it now to the places that hope to work on what I would like to call the 'Hank-ccine.'"
According to Hanks, he and his actress/singer wife are feeling "just fine and dandy." He recounted how he had been filming a movie in Australia while Wilson gave performances in support of her album when they were diagnosed with the disease. After spending weeks in quarantine, they are back home now.
The 'Forrest Gump' star insisted that his wife was having a tougher time with COVID-19 when they were battling the disease. "We had all of the flu-like symptoms," he said. "My wife Rita was a little worse off than me. She had a very high temperature."
Hanks quipped that he will be generous with the "Hank-ccine" that researchers come up with. "I'm not trying to hog it with a copyright," he said.
The NPR show is close to Hanks' heart, especially since he guest-hosted it himself three years ago. "It's good to be back," he told host Peter Sagal. "The source of the finest reviews of my career."
"If there is a sequel, would you consider being in COVID-20?" Sagal jokingly asked the 'Saving Private Ryan' star.
"Yes I would," Hanks said. "I would answer all the questions left."
One may run out of words to describe the relationship shared by one of Hollywood’s most adored couples. Tom and Rita have been married for over three decades and they continue to remain by each other's side through thick and thin. Hanks first met Wilson on the sets of his '80s sitcom ‘Bosom Buddies’, and sparks just flew between them. "Rita and I just looked at each other and — kaboing — that was that. I asked Rita if it was the real thing for her, and it just couldn't be denied,” he said in a recent interview.
But, it wasn’t so easy for Hanks as he was at the time married to his college sweetheart Samantha Lewes, with whom he shares two children, son Colin, and daughter Elizabeth.
Despite the commitment and responsibilities he had towards his first marriage and children, the 'Captain Phillips' actor decided to call quits on his relationship with Samantha and started dating Wilson before his divorce to his first wife was finalized.
And thus began a new journey for the Hanks and there has been no looking back since. The couple tied the knot on April 30, 1988.