Upon Reaching The Century Mark, Eugene Shares His Keys To Longevity

We threw a birthday party  a few weeks ago in our Winghaven satellite office (O’Fallon, Missouri)  for our patient, Eugene.

Eugene is the first patient of mine that I can recall celebrating a 100th birthday party. I mentioned him previously on this blog on a post about longevity, the art of living long and prosperously, which he had mastered.
He’s still doing remarkably well and his family shared this video of him dancing with his wife, Naomi (also our patient), at an earlier centennial birthday party.

Eugene told me that he met Naomi at a VFW dance when he was 85 years old and swept her off her feet.
The cake that Sandy had made for him features his love of dancing and swimming.

 
While we ate sandwiches and cake I asked him about his 100 years.

He was born and raised in Alton Illinois and went to high school with the  Alton Giant, Robert Wadlow. Depicted to the right next to his normal sized father, Wadlow was the tallest man in the world, reaching 8 ft, 11 inches.
Eugene graduated with a degree in chemistry and physics from Shurtleff University  then went on to get his masters and PhD degrees. He played in a 10 piece band in 1940.
During World War II he served as a navigator for an LST boat (which, he says, was nicknamed large slow target).
After tracking down his LST boat in Panama, he served in the Pacific and  at the Battle of Okinawa.
After retiring at age 65 he picked up running at the age of 65 and ran long distances frequently for 20 years.
I asked Eugene “To what do you attribute your longevity?”.
Here is his reply.

Happy Birthday To All Centenarians!
-ACP