English broadcaster and natural historian David Attenborough has won hearts on social media with his overwhelming response to a 4-year-old child, who was concerned about human extinction.
In a Twitter post, Gerry Holt, the mother of four-year-old Otis, shared a picture of Attenborough’s handwritten note, “My little boy (aged 4.5) wrote to Sir David Attenborough to ask if people had left one day ‘like the dinosaurs “. He received this beautiful response today:” The answer is that we don’t have to do that as long as we look after our planet properly. “
“Sir David is 94. It’s amazing,” Holt said.
Read the full letter here:
My little boy (aged 4.5) wrote to Sir David Attenborough asking if people would one day be extinct “like the dinosaurs”. He received this beautiful response today: “The answer is that we don’t have to do that as long as we look after our planet properly.”
Sir David is 94. It is a wonder 💚 pic.twitter.com/JR2cgcA1Ay
– Gerry Holt (@Gerryholt) March 17, 2021
In an interview with the BBC, Holt, who is a communications officer for medical research at Cardiff University, described how she did not know how to answer her son’s questions but felt that “honesty is the best policy”.
“I said I didn’t know the answer – but I wasn’t hoping. So I told him about climate change and how we need to look after our planet, ”she told the news website.
“We also talked about the work that many wonderful people, such as Sir David and Greta Thunberg, are doing to make sure that people take action to make a difference,” she said.
After their discussion of climate change, the boy decided to write to Sir David and was soon delighted to receive the answer. “A small face just lit up when I read the letter to him this morning. He knows who Sir David is and is special – but I think he needs to be a little older before he understands how important he is, ”she told the news website.
Since it was shared online, the post has gone viral and has received a number of feedback from netizens, which has been greatly influenced by Attenborough’s humble response.
Such beautiful handwriting. What an amazing thing to have.
– Jules Callaghan (@ JAPC72) March 17, 2021
Great that your boy wrote to him & just as great that he answered 👍❤️
– BoylePete1970 (@ BPete1970) March 17, 2021
Great… you have a question about your son and Sir David is very good with his answer…
– Raj Chopra (@ rajchop1911) March 17, 2021
He is an amazing man. I just pray for the powers that be.
– lin (@lindaleitchman) March 17, 2021
It’s beautiful. And also makes me sad… feel like we can turn off the lights when David leaves this mortal coil. Planetary treasure.
– Craig Ray (@ craigray11) March 17, 2021
My brother who is now 40 wrote him a letter when he was about 7 asking if he could go on safari with him and he got a written answer too !! He kindly said that it was only possible in such a good way. Incredible. X.
– Joanna Rowlands (@RowlandsJoanna) March 17, 2021