Centenarian Cool

Pete Rizzo, Uncle Pete, is a lot of things. According to his family, he’s the definition of centenarian cool. He’s a master of mindfulness. He’s a storyteller par excellence.  A dancer, a singer, and a lover of good food. Oh, yeah, and he’s 105.

Pete saw the beaches of Normandy during his military service in World War II. Yet, he moved on and has had an amazing and amazingly enjoyable life. When he turned 100, Pete threw himself a party and spent his time frugging on the dance floor with young women one-fifth his age. According to Pete, singing and dancing are what you do when you’re 100! So it sounds like Pete has living 100:100 pretty well figured out. His 100 Year Lifestyle (actually 105 Year Lifestyle) includes being surrounded by many generations of family and friends, keeping a positive attitude, and not letting anyone or anything bother him. At 105, his life sounds more active and enjoyable than people half his age.

And did we mention his amazing resilience. “This year a small cancerous tumor on his left kidney threatened his run. Pete wanted hesitant doctors to fix him up, and he took on an exercise regimen to get stronger, doing leg stretches on his own with a bungee cord. This is what he told them: ‘I don’t just want to exist, I want to live — and I think I got some more life to live. So don’t look at my age. Look at me.’ He was eventually given five radiation sessions and has since bounced back. If you are intrigued by this amazing example of centenarian cool, keep reading.