A Texas veteran who served in both World War II and the Korean War shed tears as he celebrated his 101st birthday at Hooters.
Purple Heart recipient Harry Perez Cerezo celebrated his milestone birthday in El Paso, where he was serenaded by the chain's famous “Hooters Girls” and then presented with cake and cake to honor his 22 years of service. They were presented with a cap signed by a staff member. military service.
“I had never seen him cry, but we saw him cry there. Tears started flowing,” said Cerezo's niece, Josie Ramirez. told DailyMail.com About the January 5th celebration.
“He loved the atmosphere, the girls and the clientele,” she told the magazine. “Everyone was coming over and buying him drinks and saying hello, and he really enjoyed it all. He was receptive to everything.”
Cerezo was reportedly overjoyed at the celebration, which was attended by his nieces, their children and grandchildren, and vowed to spend every birthday at the irreverent chicken wing chain from now on.
We haven't heard much about Mr. Hooters until last year, when Mr. Ramirez and his husband, Victor, took him there for his 100th birthday in response to a joking request to “meet the person behind you.” I had never done it before.
Ramirez said her uncle rarely goes out because he is hard of hearing and stubbornly refuses to wear hearing aids, but when he walked through the door of a local Hooters store, he suddenly had a change of heart.
“He was like, 'Oh my God…if I live to be 101, I want to come back here,'” Ramirez said of Cerezo's reaction to the celebratory mood.
Cezero joined the U.S. Army when he was just 17 years old and served in World War II and the Korean War.
He was shot in the back in South Korea and received the Purple Heart for his actions.
After military service, he worked for the United States Postal Service until his retirement.
Shortly after enlisting, he married his late wife, Bibiana Perez.
Since Bibiana's death in 2018, he has been completely independent and lives alone.
As for his secret to living a long life, Ramirez said his uncle was an avid athlete, walking on the treadmill multiple times a day and riding a stationary bike while watching Mexican soap operas.
Avoiding overeating appears to be another important factor in his longevity, which was evident during his birthday party. There, the centenarian was eating a modest pair of wings and some cake.
But he has plenty of space for beer and admitted to his niece that he didn't take any medication on the festive day this year in order to “drink up.”
