SPRINGVILLE, N.Y. (WKBW) — Alvin Hardy is a WWII veteran, a D-Day survivor, a COVID-19 survivor and has turned 100 on Friday.
His family organized a drive by parade to celebrate his 100th birthday outside the Jennie B Richmond Nursing Home in Springville. He had no idea 30 to 40 family members were coming to surprise him.
"...I didn't know. Not until today! Yeah that was nice," he said.
"It's been so long since we've been able to see him and say hi to him. And we love him so much and miss being around him," said Cindy Spoth, Hardy's niece.
"I'm just so happy for him because he hasn't seen his family since probably February," said Lynne Bain, his daughter.
The family was able to organize this with the help of the nursing home and the VFW, to honor the veteran who was on the first wave on Utah Beach in Normandy.
"We all got together, we called all the family, and we got the fire truck here and all the legion people for him to salute him and tell him a good job for his service," said Spoth.
"My understanding is that there's very few D-Day veterans left. There's never many WWII veterans left but there's even fewer obviously D-Day veterans," said Bain.
The fact that the family was able to celebrate this major event together, is what made the day all the more special.
