Kingsport Family YMCA Celebrates Oldest Member/ War Hero's 98th Birthfay

World War II veteran proves 'age is just a number' at Kingsport YMCA on 98th birthday (WCYB Photo)

April 19, 2024

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KINGSPORT, Tenn. (WCYB) — Dedication, sacrifice and selflessness - those are just a few words the Greater Kingsport Family YMCA use to describe one of their members.

Virgil Peters, a World War II Navy Veteran is often called an inspiration by his family and friends at the YMCA.

Peters volunteered to join the United States Navy at just 17 years old, with the help of his mother.

"I asked her to sign my papers to go in the Navy, she said, I'm not signing them papers, you're my baby, and you're going to stay at home," said Peters. "But I kept following her around until she agreed to sign the papers."

Peters spent much of the war on a minesweeper on the coast of Japan, recalling the Battle of Iwo Jima and what followed."Whenever the atomic bombs were dropped, that meant the war was over," said Peters. "I've said this quite a few times, the reason I'm probably here today, is because the bomb did drop, stopped the war, or we would have went in on another invasion, up front."

Peters is now celebrating his 98th birthday, saying he's lived a blessed life -- and sharing lessons learned, especially with those at the YMCA in Kingsport.

"This is a lot better than just sitting around worrying about your life," said Peters. "I'll be happy, I get up every morning, I'll say to myself, what can I do to be happy, and most of the time, I end up here.""He hangs his cane up on the treadmill handle, and he just goes," said Joel Saccullo, wellness director at the Greater Kingsport Family YMCA. "I'm like hey, are you ok, do you need anything? And he's like no, I'm good -- I've been doing this a lot longer than you've been alive."

YMCA staff members say they are grateful for his membership, and all of the life lessons that he shares."He's one of the most committed members, he's the definition that age is just a number," said Saccullo. "He's here every single day for a few hours."

With Peters -- not planning to slow down any time soon. "I get a question asked of how old I am, I say 98, and looking for 100," said Peters. "That's my thinking about my future, and maybe that's a big dream, I don't know -- you got to have your dreams."

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by Ashley Hoak

Fri, April 19th 2024 at 5:06 PM

Updated Mon, April 22nd 2024 at 8:44 AM