Lieutenant Colonel Sam Sachs had big plans for his 105th birthday, but unfortunately, the celebration had to be canceled due to the global coronavirus pandemic. On Sunday, Sachs got to celebrate his birthday with hundreds of well-wishers at his senior living home in Lakewood, California.
Instead of the guests stopping in to wish him a happy birthday, they followed social distancing guidelines and stayed in their cars, shouting happy birthday from the street. For nearly an hour, Sachs watched as a parade of vehicles decked out with American flags and colorful balloons, drove past his home. There were classic cars, motorcycles, law enforcement vehicles, and even a helicopter from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Office.
"It's a marvelous feeling, yes, really," Sachs told the Los Angeles Times. "The emotions are running so high ... It just doesn't get any better than this. It's just unbelievable. This is a dream."
At one point, Sachs addressed the parade from a microphone in his front yard.
"I just can't believe it. I can't believe all this is happening. Gee whiz!" he said. "Thank you, folks. Thank you for making my day. I had no idea what to expect... This is magical."
Not only did Sachs get to enjoy a birthday parade, he also received over 6,200 birthday cards from well-wishers across the country after his senior living facility shared his request on YouTube.
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