Faithwire
  • Watch
  • Go!
  • Podcasts
  • Newsletter
  • Contact Us
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • News
  • Politics
  • Coronavirus Updates
  • Faith
  • Opinion
  • Christmas
  • Set Free Course

WWII Vet Survives Coronavirus, Celebrates 104th Birthday: ‘He’s Fully Recovered and Perky’

Image: screenshot/oregonlive
Image: screenshot/oregonlive
Share Tweet
By Dan Andros
Managing Editor

April 3, 2020

They’re called the greatest generation for a reason.

A World War II veteran from Oregon who survived the coronavirus just celebrated his 104th birthday this week.

William Lapschies has defied the odds after becoming one of the oldest people in the world to have taken on the coronavirus — and won.

“He is fully recovered. He is very perky,” a family member told Oregon Live. He was also excited:

They brought balloons and a double-layered cake. “Because he loves chocolate,” Brown said.

A caregiver had brought Lapschies out in a wheelchair to sit a proper distance away from the small semi-circle of people, but he still held forth, wearing a World War II veteran hat and dark blue jeans.

When asked about how it was he was able to survive this deadly virus, Lapschies didn’t take any of the credit. “It just went away,” he told cameras at the birthday celebration through a few laughs.

But it wasn’t always a laughing matter. Not long after he’d started feeling ill, he was struggling to survive. It looked as though he might not make it. His fever spiked and he was having trouble breathing. Doctors were talking with the family about preparing for the worst.

It seemed almost inevitable, as two people at the veterans home in which he lives have already passed away due to the virus.

Aside from it “just going away” the family attributes a few other reasons to their dad’s survival.

“He has such an upbeat attitude. He’s never down.”

The most challenging part for him has been the lockdown, as he’s normally out and about and chatting it up with people.

According to Oregon Live, Lapschies was actually born right in the midst of another pandemic — influenza. Over 50 million died worldwide during that time.

But Lapschies survived.

Now he’s surviving once again. Clear of coronavirus, he’s just looking forward to speaking to people in the same room, actually face to face — instead of through the window or over the phone.

For more on Lapschies background and life story, check out this wonderful profile.

Latest

  • Entertainment

    ‘You Simply Changed My Life’: Steve Harvey Pens Heartfelt Love Letter to Wife Citing ‘God’s Grace’ and His Journey Overcoming Homelessness

  • Faith

    URGENT PRAYER: Wife of Pastor Detained in China Has a Plea for the Global Church: ‘May the Lord Be Glorified…’

  • Culture

    ‘Honor Them For Their Great Sacrifice’: Chris Pratt Praises Men and Women in Uniform After WWII Veterans Surprise Him at Hollywood Premiere

  • News

    As Pro-Lifers Cheer End of Roe, Democrats Lament SCOTUS Overturning ‘Right’ to Kill the Unborn: ‘One of the Darkest Days Our Country Has Ever Seen’

  • News

    ROE NO MORE: Supreme Court Overturns Roe v. Wade: States Can Ban Abortion


Navigation

  • Watch
  • Go!
  • Podcasts
  • Newsletter
  • Contact Us
  • Staff
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Instagram

Subscribe to the Newsletter

Sign up to get our newsletter your inbox every day.

Newsletter Signup

Do you want to read
more articles like this?