Not everyone gets the chance to celebrate their 104th birthday, but for Gerald, it turned into a heartwarming event he’ll never forget. Thanks to his son Kevin Mills, who took to Twitter to ask for 104 birthday wishes for his beloved father, Gerald received an outpouring of love and support that left him amazed and bewildered.
In his tweet, Kevin shared an adorable picture of his dad, introducing him to the online community. “This is my dad, Gerald. He turns 104 on 12 July,” Kevin tweeted. “Can I gather 104 happy birthdays from Twitter? It would truly amaze and baffle him!” Little did they know that this simple request would ignite an incredible thread of people sharing birthday wishes and stories of their own loved ones, especially their elderly grandparents.
The response was overwhelming, flooding the tweet with an incredible number of replies and well wishes far surpassing the initial goal of 104. With over 423,000 likes, the tweet became a heartwarming testament to the kindness and camaraderie found on social media. One Twitter user, Adam Hill, posted a picture of his young daughter and expressed his hope that she too would live as long as Gerald. “Happy Birthday Gerald. This is my daughter Flora, born 12 weeks premature and just came home to us at three months old. Wishing her a long life like yours!” he wrote.
Others shared images of their own elderly relatives, extending their warm wishes to Gerald. Joanna shared a picture of her 101-year-old grandmother, Bridget, who also celebrates her birthday on July 12th. “Happy birthday Gerald! My nan, Bridget, shares a birthday with your dad and she’ll be 101 this year! Hats off to these two special centenarians and all the others here!” Another user shared an image of their baby granddaughter, raising a toast and remarking, “Cheers Gerald! My birthday is also on July 12th. Here’s to us! My granddaughter believes that being extra cute is the secret to a long life, but I think you already knew that by looking at your picture!”
Even celebrities joined the celebration. Mark Hamill, the legendary actor who played Luke Skywalker in “Star Wars,” dedicated a birthday message to Gerald, complete with a cake emoji. English actor and comedian Stephen Fry also chimed in, sending his warm wishes with a simple “Happy birthday Gerald! xx.”
Gerald’s birthday triumph didn’t stop with social media. The heartfelt campaign soon made its way to the radio waves. “Happy Birthday Gerald from 94.5 KHI in Ocean City, MD,” read a tweet, along with a link to a video of the host discussing Gerald’s special day on air. Sharon Steed shared a touching image of her late father sitting on the sofa next to an adorable dog, expressing her birthday greetings to Gerald. “Happy birthday, Gerald!! My dad made it to 86 (this is him before he passed with my dog, Washington). He would have loved to chat with you and share a slice of cake!”
Gerald’s 104th birthday became a testament to the power of community, kindness, and celebration. Through the magic of social media, thousands of people came together to make this milestone birthday unforgettable. The overwhelming response not only touched Gerald’s heart but also brought joy and cheer to everyone involved. Happy 104th birthday, Gerald! May your days continue to be filled with love, laughter, and the warmest memories.
