Woman Celebrates 105th Birthday With 105-Vehicle Parade Led By Fire Trucks — Happy Birthday, Martha

Jul 11, 2020 by apost team

The North Carolina community held a parade this month for a Holly Springs resident named Martha Leach after she turned 105 years old. Birthdays are a big deal, and the pomp and color of these celebrations get better with age. Since her 90th birthday, the community has been celebrating her with vehicle parades, and this time they honored her with a 105 vehicle parade.

Charles Whittaker, Leach's grandson, says the impressive celebrations are always a welcome sensation for her, and she appreciates her friends, family, and community for their efforts.

According to ABC News, Mr. Whitaker explains, "She just has been around so long and is such a nice lady to everybody — didn't meet no strangers, it's just amazing for her life. The way she came through life working so hard. Now, she's living the life of ease now." This year, several firetrucks among her favorite vehicles led the entourage to be followed closely by police cars, antiques, and other vehicles.

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Leach got the honor to ride in a fire truck for her 103rd birthday, facilitated by the fire department in Holly Springs. It was a dream come true for her. She described the experience as enjoyable and added that the Lord had kept her for it.

Adam Godfrey, a firefighter, had the privilege to drive Leach around the town during her 103rd birthday. "It was amazing," he told ABC News. "I've never met anyone 103 years old, and to have the joy of them riding around in my firetruck and taking them around town. It was wonderful and I think she enjoyed it more than I did," he described.

This year, she received many flowers, balloons, and cards, and one florist did the most by presenting her with 105 carnations, one for each year of her life, according to ABC News. Many others decided to shout happy birthday as they passed outside her house in their cars. It was a fantastic gesture considering we are in the middle of a pandemic, and social distancing is a must.

She gracefully waved at them from her yard, sitting in a wheelchair while downed with a princess tiara. She is overwhelmed by the love and shares some nuggets of wisdom on how you can live long. "Be good, be sweet and everything will be alright," she said while encircled by her neighbors and friends. During the party organized by Impact Holly Springs for Ms. Leach, who has lived in Holly Springs since the late 1940s, people had a lot to say.

Many of the people who were part of the parade do not know her personally, but they came out to celebrate her. Some said that despite not knowing her, they had heard fantastic things about her and could not miss the celebration.

These people did not come to play, as they brought out their most beautiful and expensive cars for the parade. These gestures should say something about how respected and loved Leach is. It was no ordinary celebration since the two Mayors of Holly Springs, Apex and Fuquay-Varina, as well as Gerald Baker, the Sheriff in Wake County, were all in attendance, ABC News reports.

Let us know what you think about this community birthday celebration. Has your community done something similar? And make sure to pass this story on to others to celebrate alongside Martha.