(COLORADO SPRINGS)– A local veteran celebrated his 100th birthday on Tuesday, April 8, with many gathered to celebrate his life and achievements.
Jim Akin was born in 1925, and at the time, the first moving pictures were being broadcast on the television, Calvin Coolidge was the president, and The Phantom of the Opera was just beginning to hit the theaters. On Tuesday, the WWII veteran celebrated his 100th birthday surrounded by dozens of friends and family in Colorado Springs.
“Well I’m in shock, I wasn’t expecting any of this,” said Akin, during his birthday party.
Many of his closest friends and family came to Colorado Springs to celebrate the big day and everything he has accomplished in his long life. A few of those people even spoke to share their favorite memories with him so far.
“He has a wealth of knowledge about what the country has been through, he’s well versed in world affairs, and he’s the sweetest guy you’d ever want to meet and be friends with,” said Linda Word, a close friend and the concierge where Akin lives.
They celebrated with tons of cake, and of course, some champagne.
“He’s always been an amazing pilot and we are always very proud of that, he went on a lot of missions, and he could never talk about them,” said Sharen Been, Akin’s oldest daughter.
She said he would bring home a new doll from every country he traveled to during his service. She said she has learned many valuable lessons from her dad.
“How to make that drive, he taught me to never regret my life, to always strive for the best, and don’t have regrets as you get older,” said Been.
At the birthday party, Akin shared some of his stories from his time during WWII.
“When you roll down the runway and you pump that burner, oh boy does it snap your head back, that’s living, now that’s living,” said Akin.
The birthday boy had a table front and center, decorated with photos from his time in service, and even a table cloth that commemorated events that were happening his birth year of 1925.
Just last May at the ripe age of 99, he decided to go skydiving.
“I used to jump out of airplanes all the time, I even did it a year ago, in fact with the concierge, Linda. We jumped out 16,000 feet, freefalling,” said Akin.
“He started talking about skydiving, and I said, oh, Jim, I don’t know if you should do that. And so I said, ‘I’ll go with you,’ and then about two days later he goes, ‘oh, by the way, we’re jumping on Sunday’ and I said, ‘oh, okay’ [laughing nervously],” said Word.
Akin says that was not his last adventure. Now at 100, he’s planning another skydiving trip in the next few weeks.
“Whatever the next adventure is he can go on, I will go with him,” said Word.
As a former WWII pilot, Akin said his biggest advice to young cadets is to get their wings.
“Oh gosh, what I would do to be back at the academy and just get up there,” Akin reminisced.
While he remembers his past accomplishments fondly, Akin’s glory days are far from behind him–to this day Akin is still jumping out of planes and even drives his Mustang.
