EAST LANSING, Mich. — East Lansing resident Bill Root just celebrated a significant milestone.
“I was born September 20, 1923," says Bill. “So that makes me precisely 100 years old.”
But with a Century’s worth of wisdom and humility…Bill is downplaying the milestone.
“When somebody turned 100 there was a momentous event, and the President himself would validate this 100-year-old. It was that unusual. Well, last census, I recall there were 100,000 one hundred-year-olds in this country. Can you imagine the President calling 100,000 people? Of course not. It's not such a rarity, as it was just when I began my 100.”
Despite the evolving times, Bill has always been a champion of peace, justice, and curiosity.
Bill says his entire life he has loved learning new things and travel was a big part of his passion.
He spent more than three decades working for the State Department, much of that time oversees.
Alesha Williams is the Director of Life Enrichment at Burcham Hills and says Bill is an inspiration.
“You know anyone at 100 years old is a wealth of knowledge and being able to tap into that and listen to stories that he shares. He did a presentation for his 100th birthday that was just absolutely amazing. He's been around the world and his focus on peace is so inspiring for all.”
When asked if Bill has any advice for someone hoping to live as long as he has, Bill says it's all about being aware.
“I would say be aware of what the rare issues are and a lot of people these days don't seem to whine or accept that the biggest issue is climate change. So, what can you do about it? Every single one of us is going to have to learn to do without burning fossil fuels. And when you think about it, we burn an awful lot of fossil fuels.”
Bill Root leaves us with much to ponder, drawing from a century's worth of life experience.
Congratulations to Bill Root, our Good Neighbor of the week.
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