TRINITY, Fla. – The Heritage Springs Community Clubhouse was embellished with the basic indicators of a birthday celebration: balloons, pictures and cake. But the person of this time has a tremendous story.
World War II veteran Frank Coppola celebrated his one hundredth birthday surrounded by family and friends.
“I’m honored. I’m the happiest man on the earth,” he stated.
READ: Two Dunedin World War II veterans have a good time one hundredth birthday
Coppola served within the U.S. Army Air Corps Signal Corps as a radar operator. By a contented coincidence, one other World War II veteran from Heritage Springs, 98-year-old Frank Faulkner, was a radio operator.
They had heard one another’s voices throughout the battle, however by no means met in individual till they grew to become residents of Heritage Springs, a Trinity 55-and-over neighborhood. Crazy sufficient, his third World War II veteran, 97-year-old Jerry Langer, additionally calls the neighborhood residence.
Faulkner stated in a speech on the gala, “Every time you get an opportunity, your expertise shines. Whether it is singing, cooking, or gifting your pals with a sauce that is second to none.”
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Coppola had the chance to share her singing expertise by serving to sing the nationwide anthem earlier than the Tampa Bay Lightning recreation on March 2. As for sauces, Coppola stated making sauces for family and friends helps preserve her thoughts younger.
“The necessary factor is to be sort to folks, as a result of the kinder you might be to folks, the extra you are able to do.” [they’re] It was nice,” Coppola stated. “I do not care who they’re or what they’re or anything. Every individual placed on this earth by God is part of you.”
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