1 00:00:04,160 --> 00:00:09,000 Speaker 1: Hello, friends, Welcome to Story Behind Podcast. This is the 2 00:00:09,039 --> 00:00:12,200 Speaker 1: show for people who love hearing a good story and 3 00:00:12,240 --> 00:00:15,720 Speaker 1: who believe the world could use more positivity. We're the 4 00:00:15,720 --> 00:00:18,919 Speaker 1: team behind God Updates and God Too, and we hope 5 00:00:18,960 --> 00:00:21,560 Speaker 1: these weekly short stories will brighten your day. 6 00:00:27,040 --> 00:00:30,400 Speaker 2: Super Senentinarian celebrates her one hundred and eleventh birthday and 7 00:00:30,440 --> 00:00:33,360 Speaker 2: a life well lived with family and friends. Written by 8 00:00:33,400 --> 00:00:36,919 Speaker 2: Julie Provost, read by July Provost. If you're blessed enough 9 00:00:36,920 --> 00:00:39,560 Speaker 2: to hit your one hundredth birthday, you are called a centenarian. 10 00:00:39,920 --> 00:00:41,640 Speaker 2: If you hit your one hundred and tenth birthday, you 11 00:00:41,680 --> 00:00:43,960 Speaker 2: can be called a super centenarian. And that's just what 12 00:00:44,000 --> 00:00:46,839 Speaker 2: this woman in Winterhaven, Florida has done. In fact, she 13 00:00:46,920 --> 00:00:49,640 Speaker 2: just celebrated her one hundred and eleventh birthday with family, friends, 14 00:00:49,640 --> 00:00:52,559 Speaker 2: and members of the community. Ritrude Williams was born in 15 00:00:52,640 --> 00:00:56,400 Speaker 2: nineteen fifteen, when Woodow Russom was president, the United States 16 00:00:56,400 --> 00:00:59,280 Speaker 2: hadn't yet entered World War One, and the world's a 17 00:00:59,360 --> 00:01:01,840 Speaker 2: very different place. She has lived through so many eras 18 00:01:01,880 --> 00:01:04,600 Speaker 2: and witnessed many changes over the years. On a day 19 00:01:04,600 --> 00:01:09,040 Speaker 2: in January, Gertrude celebrated her special day at Vina Healthcare Winterhaven, 20 00:01:09,120 --> 00:01:12,720 Speaker 2: where she lives. Family, friends, caregivers, community members, and local 21 00:01:12,800 --> 00:01:15,480 Speaker 2: leaders came together to celebrate with her. Even some of 22 00:01:15,480 --> 00:01:18,240 Speaker 2: her cousins came down from Connecticut. And to still have 23 00:01:18,319 --> 00:01:20,240 Speaker 2: her mind, to still be able to talk to you, 24 00:01:20,360 --> 00:01:22,960 Speaker 2: to tell stories and remember things, and to know who 25 00:01:23,000 --> 00:01:25,600 Speaker 2: you are and remember you, that's a blessing. Cousin Ebeny 26 00:01:25,640 --> 00:01:29,080 Speaker 2: Walker shares about Gertrude. Gertrude worked as a nanny over 27 00:01:29,160 --> 00:01:32,000 Speaker 2: the years. One of the children she nannied for, Dean King, 28 00:01:32,040 --> 00:01:33,800 Speaker 2: who is now in his seventies, was also at the 29 00:01:33,800 --> 00:01:36,279 Speaker 2: party to honor her. For my first year of life. 30 00:01:36,319 --> 00:01:39,000 Speaker 2: She had been my nanny, so growing up she was 31 00:01:39,400 --> 00:01:42,759 Speaker 2: a great mentor and part time companion. He shares, seeing 32 00:01:42,760 --> 00:01:46,080 Speaker 2: her as a second mother. As my mother developed Alzheimer's disease, 33 00:01:46,200 --> 00:01:48,560 Speaker 2: she was there to help. So She's family, the super 34 00:01:48,600 --> 00:01:51,160 Speaker 2: cententarian became a big part for church and do her 35 00:01:51,160 --> 00:01:53,800 Speaker 2: one hundreds. She shares that her faith helped her walk 36 00:01:53,840 --> 00:01:56,440 Speaker 2: again and believes it is her secret to a long life. 37 00:01:56,720 --> 00:01:59,000 Speaker 2: Trust in God. That's the only one he made you, 38 00:01:59,120 --> 00:02:02,760 Speaker 2: she said. Another cousin, Susan Holloway, shares the wisdom that 39 00:02:02,800 --> 00:02:05,720 Speaker 2: Gertrude has passed on to them, Believe in yourself, be 40 00:02:05,800 --> 00:02:09,040 Speaker 2: kind and love everybody. What a wonderful advice for all 41 00:02:09,040 --> 00:02:11,640 Speaker 2: of us to follow, For I know the plans I 42 00:02:11,680 --> 00:02:13,960 Speaker 2: have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and 43 00:02:14,000 --> 00:02:17,560 Speaker 2: not for evil, to give you future and hope. Jeremiah 44 00:02:17,639 --> 00:02:32,000 Speaker 2: twenty nine to eleven. She found a lost wallet on 45 00:02:32,000 --> 00:02:34,840 Speaker 2: the subway, not knowing how returning it would change her life. 46 00:02:35,360 --> 00:02:38,960 Speaker 2: Written by MICHAELA. GORDONI read by Julie Provost. Four years ago, 47 00:02:39,040 --> 00:02:41,000 Speaker 2: a young woman found a wallet on a New York subway. 48 00:02:41,200 --> 00:02:43,400 Speaker 2: Since returning the lost wallet, she became best friends with 49 00:02:43,400 --> 00:02:45,160 Speaker 2: its owner, and it was the best reward she could 50 00:02:45,200 --> 00:02:47,920 Speaker 2: ask for. It was Christmas Day, twenty twenty one. I 51 00:02:47,960 --> 00:02:50,680 Speaker 2: had guessed and was showing them around the city for 52 00:02:50,760 --> 00:02:53,880 Speaker 2: the holidays, said Nia Rowe, directly in front of me. 53 00:02:53,919 --> 00:02:55,840 Speaker 2: It was a leather wallet sitting on the seat. I 54 00:02:55,880 --> 00:02:57,399 Speaker 2: knew that if I gave it to the cops, there's 55 00:02:57,440 --> 00:02:59,560 Speaker 2: a high likelihood it would never get to her or 56 00:02:59,639 --> 00:03:02,200 Speaker 2: just take a really long time, she says, So she 57 00:03:02,200 --> 00:03:04,880 Speaker 2: took matters into her own hands. I knew the right 58 00:03:04,919 --> 00:03:06,399 Speaker 2: thing to do would be to spend a little time 59 00:03:06,400 --> 00:03:08,160 Speaker 2: trying to find her. It was no sweat off my 60 00:03:08,200 --> 00:03:10,640 Speaker 2: back and would save her a lot of trouble, she said. 61 00:03:10,800 --> 00:03:13,120 Speaker 2: So she tracked down the owner, an older woman named Carol, 62 00:03:13,160 --> 00:03:15,240 Speaker 2: on Facebook, and arranged to give it to her. I 63 00:03:15,280 --> 00:03:17,600 Speaker 2: didn't know why somebody would find a wallet and personally 64 00:03:17,680 --> 00:03:19,679 Speaker 2: return it to a complete stranger. I was amazed that 65 00:03:19,760 --> 00:03:21,960 Speaker 2: she did that, Carol said. I thought, Wow, what a 66 00:03:21,960 --> 00:03:24,000 Speaker 2: good person. I'm so grateful that she reached her my 67 00:03:24,000 --> 00:03:27,160 Speaker 2: wallet number one. And then she was interesting to me. 68 00:03:27,440 --> 00:03:29,360 Speaker 2: Carol said, I said, if you're ever in the neighborhood, 69 00:03:29,360 --> 00:03:32,520 Speaker 2: stop by. Nina kept in touch and then developed a connection. 70 00:03:33,080 --> 00:03:35,360 Speaker 2: After our initial interaction, I could tell how warm and 71 00:03:35,400 --> 00:03:38,280 Speaker 2: lovely she is, Nina said, I don't think I expected 72 00:03:38,280 --> 00:03:39,880 Speaker 2: for us to become as close as we did, and 73 00:03:39,920 --> 00:03:42,800 Speaker 2: I'm so glad we did. Nina shared a viral video 74 00:03:42,840 --> 00:03:45,480 Speaker 2: of the time they spent together at Carol's lakehouse sharing home. 75 00:03:45,560 --> 00:03:48,600 Speaker 2: Pooked meals, laughter and fun. She was a really pleasant surprise, 76 00:03:48,720 --> 00:03:51,280 Speaker 2: Carol said of Nina. She invited my friend and I 77 00:03:51,720 --> 00:03:53,720 Speaker 2: showed us all around the area and we watched movies 78 00:03:53,760 --> 00:03:55,640 Speaker 2: and eight ice cream. Na said of spending time with 79 00:03:55,680 --> 00:03:58,200 Speaker 2: her at the Lakehouse. It was a really sweet few days. 80 00:03:58,880 --> 00:04:02,560 Speaker 2: The pairent understands how relationship resonates with people and this 81 00:04:02,680 --> 00:04:05,160 Speaker 2: shared longing for human connection. People who go to the 82 00:04:05,200 --> 00:04:08,640 Speaker 2: links of generosity that Nina employed don't always get much 83 00:04:08,640 --> 00:04:12,320 Speaker 2: thanks in their efforts. Banina and Carol were blessed abundantly 84 00:04:12,400 --> 00:04:19,120 Speaker 2: through Nina's actions. What a wonderful continuation of an amazing story. 85 00:04:25,400 --> 00:04:28,560 Speaker 1: Thank you so much for listening to Story Behind podcast. 86 00:04:29,080 --> 00:04:31,360 Speaker 1: We're really glad you joined us for this week's story. 87 00:04:32,160 --> 00:04:34,600 Speaker 1: To see photos and videos that may have been referenced 88 00:04:34,600 --> 00:04:37,440 Speaker 1: in this episode, check out the links in the show notes, 89 00:04:38,000 --> 00:04:40,919 Speaker 1: and if you enjoyed what you heard today, subscribe to 90 00:04:40,960 --> 00:04:44,520 Speaker 1: our podcast and please tell a friend about us. We'd 91 00:04:44,520 --> 00:04:46,560 Speaker 1: also love it if you'd rate us and leave us 92 00:04:46,560 --> 00:04:49,560 Speaker 1: a review. It really does help more people find us. 93 00:04:50,120 --> 00:04:52,799 Speaker 1: Story Behind is a Salem Web Network production.