Don’t Think Old

There’s really no stopping New Yorker Dorothy Wiggins. Her Instagram account (@dorothylovesnewyork), her TikTok account (dorothylovesnewyork),and her more than 125,000 followers would agree, she’s keeping busy, always dressed to perfection, and enjoying playing tennis. At 98, Dorothy says, “I think of myself the same as I’ve always done. I just don’t think old.”

In 2020, three months after his 100th birthday, Dorothy’s husband Guy passed. For more than 61 years they had been inseparable. Dorothy said her grief was devastating.

But with the help of her son and a journalist friend of his, before long Dorothy was out and about in Manhattan, doing the things she loves to do, including sharing her thoughts on everything under the sun and having her picture taken. The clips of Dorothy made their way to Instagram, and she immediately became a social media star.

However, Dorothy also has an opinion about social media itself. She believes it’s stupid and isn’t interested in people telling things about their lives to strangers. She doesn’t even have any interest in looking at the posts about her, although she does enjoy reading the comments and chatting with people who recognize her on the street.

Her greatest joy – that people are inspired by her active longevity and outspoken attitude. As for her grief of losing her husband over three years ago, it’s still with her. But, in her words, “life carries on and it is never too late to keep up with the times and try something new.” That’s the epitome of living at 100% for 100 years. Good for you Dorothy.