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VISALIA, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) - A Visalia man turned 100 years aged Wednesday connected Christmas Day and celebrated his day with loved ones past week.
For his day celebration, the city’s politician awarded Norman Virgil Vikan a peculiar certificate for the achievement. Vikan says the existent reward is much clip to walk with his loved ones.
Vikan was surrounded by loved ones astatine his assisted surviving facility, celebrating his birthday.
This year, Vikan says his lone day privation is simply a discount connected the rent.
“I privation 50% off,” helium said.
He was calved connected Christmas Day successful 1924. Even astatine 100 years old, nary 1 tin marque a caller person similar Vikan.
“Nobody is simply a alien to me. Sometimes I speech to people, they privation to know, ‘Who's that guy?’”
The concealed constituent that’s kept him truthful progressive each these years is thing not expected.
“I devour oatmeal each day. I did it astir days. I grew up connected oatmeal,” helium said.
Throughout Vikan's agelong life, he’s worn galore hats: from instrumentalist to athlete, but if you inquire him what he’s astir arrogant of, he’ll accidental his work.
He served arsenic a aviator successful WWII and erstwhile helium wasn’t successful the entity helium worked astatine Raphael's Jewelry.
“I repaired watches and I liked the intricate work. I similar the customers I met done the 72 years of each countries, each states. I loved my work,” Vikan said.
His daughter, Sherry Reid says her dada worked each the time.
“He worked each the time, I consciousness privileged to person had the inheritance that helium gave me, and I consciousness privileged that I didn’t person the hard times that helium had,” Reid said.
While Vikan is endlessly arrogant of his work, and his 3 beauteous daughters, his top joy, was being joined to the emotion of his life.
“It couldn't person been better. I miss her. Don't get maine started connected it. I had a bully life, a fantastic matrimony and fantastic children,” Vikan said
He says 72 years of matrimony wasn’t enough.
So arsenic helium begins his 2nd century, the retired ticker repairman encourages others to marque the minutes count.
