104-Year Old World War II Veteran Celebrated 'Socially Distant' Birthday After Coronavirus Recovery
'A 104-year-old World War II veteran had a socially distanced birthday party after recovering from the coronavirus,' Insider, April 3, 2020.
William Lapschies, a 104-year-old World War II veteran from Lebanon, Oregon, recovered from the novel coronavirus this week. His family celebrated his recovery - as well as his 104th birthday - with a socially distanced party outside the Edward C. Allworth Veterans' Home, where Lapschies lives. Family members made posters and held balloons while nurses cared for Lapschies by the door.
At 104, Lapschies has not only survived the coronavirus, but also the 1918 Spanish Flu, and lived through the Great Depression.
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A 104-year-old World War II veteran celebrated his birthday with a socially distanced party after he fully recovered from the coronavirus.
William "Bill" Lapschies was put in isolation at the Edward C. Allworth Veterans' Home in Lebanon, Oregon, after first showing symptoms of COVID-19 on March 5, according to KOIN.
He was one of the first two residents at the facility to test positive for the virus. In total, the home has had 15 positive coronavirus cases, and two residents have died, the Oregon Department of Veterans Affairs told KOIN.
Lapschies met recovery guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Oregon Health Authority this week, and he celebrated with his family on Wednesday with a socially distanced party.
Lapschies told reporters that it felt "pretty good" to be 104. "I made it," he told KOIN. "Good for a few more."
Video from the party showed Lapschies in a wheelchair near his facility's door. Friends and family stood yards from him with signs and balloons.
"We celebrated his 101 and had over 200 people. So trying to keep our social distancing and do what Governor Brown has asked us to do," Lapschies' daughter, Carolee Brown, told KOIN. "But we're so thrilled he's recovered from this and we just had to do something for him."
Lapschies lived through the 1918 Spanish Flu and the Great Depression, and was stationed in the Aleutian Islands during World War II. At 104, he has two grandchildren, six great-grandchildren, and five great-great-grandchildren.
He is believed to be the oldest person to recover from COVID-19, Oregon Public Radio reported.
http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/good-news/a-104-year-old-world-war-ii-veteran-had-a-socially-distanced-birthday-party-after-recovering-from-the-coronavirus/ar-BB125eY2?ocid=HPCOMMDHP15
Cha
(297,290 posts)And, Happy Birthday!
BigmanPigman
(51,608 posts)some of his genes as well. He's a rare gem.
whathehell
(29,067 posts).Go on with your bad self, Bill. :
diverdownjt
(702 posts)I really hope to hear about your 105th birthday too....
BeckyDem
(8,361 posts)K&R
elias7
(4,007 posts)If I heard the story right from another source, raising several ethical questions at once, not the least of which would be why you would opt to treat a 104 year old person with a potential life saving drug that will likely become in short supply very soon.
Aristus
(66,385 posts)The idea that a hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin combo can successfully treat COVID-19 came from a highly-flawed French study, the patient population of which was 19. Experts on the novel coronavirus are pleading for people to avoid this treatment.
A much more comprehensive study out of China seems to confirm that hydroxychloroquine is ineffective for COVID-19. The control group was made up of patients who were already undergoing hydroxychloroquine treatment for unrelated reasons. The study revealed that the treatment neither prevented infection, nor decreased the duration or severity of it.
elias7
(4,007 posts)Aristus
(66,385 posts)Happy Birthday, sir!