Leora Martin, a resident of an assisted-living facility in Indiana, just celebrated her 100th birthday on June 13, 2020. It hasn't been an easy journey for her as she battled through times of hardship and adversity throughout the years.
Just recently, she was diagnosed with COVID-19 in April. But a week before her birthday, she received the good news that her diagnosis was now behind her. Aside from winning the battle against the current pandemic, she also beat pneumonia last year.
Martin is no stranger to disastrous times as she's also a survivor of cancer and World War II. She now lives to tell the tale of all the catastrophes that went down in her life, which she successfully triumphed over.
In celebration of her 100 years, she and her twin sister from California, Delora Bloomingdale, were caught up in a Zoom call, singing Happy Birthday to each other and looking back on their childhood memories together.
Martin recalls her medical triumphs all throughout the years and told The Elkhart Truth how relieved she is to be in the clear. She recounts being prodded with needles during her days as a cancer patient and thinking she would not survive her bout with pneumonia last year.
Coronavirus No Match For Centenarian
As the coronavirus outbreak took a beating on senior centers and nursing homes in many regions of the country, Martin became one of the 76 residents at Greenleaf Health Campus to test positive for COVID-19.
According to Marilou Snell, Martin's daughter, her mother was generally asymptomatic, exhibiting only minor signs such as exhaustion and appetite loss. She shares how her mother's facility was on lockdown, which is why they couldn't visit her at the time.
Her daughter adds how they were all devastated when they heard about their mother's COVID-19 diagnosis. She says it was hard to hear news about the virus and then find out that your mother has it. They had feared for the worst, she added.
According to Indiana's virus website, about 5,147 long-term care facility residents have been infected. Furthermore, 1,140 cases ended up in fatality. In the overall state tally, there are 43,140 coronavirus cases and 2,386 deaths.
Strong Woman, Conquering Hurdles Left and Right
World War II was a scary time for those who lived through it. It is known to be the biggest and deadliest war in history. World War II involved more than 30 countries. For Leora Martin, it was only one of the things in her list that she made through.
According to Snell, her mother remains alert and sharp. She proves to be a true fighter, indeed. During her birthday, Leora cheerfully held a sign that read, "COVID-19 can't stop me from turning 100." When Martin was asked about her secret to living a long life, she answered, "Keep moving, and keep loving others."
Martin's assisted-living facility, Greenleaf, also celebrated last week. On Friday, its staff members announced that their facility was officially free of the coronavirus.
