GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — In between bites of cake and rounds of singing on Saturday, John Pylman, a 100-year-old World War II veteran, reflected on his 'God-blessed' years of life.
"Overall, you've got to look at it and say, 'What's the bottom line?' And the bottom line is, I could not have had a better life," said Pylman, sitting in the center of an event room at Holland Home, a retirement facility in Grand Rapids. Friends and family filled the chairs beside him. Two cakes sat on a nearby counter. On Friday, Pylman had officially lived for a century. Now a day later, it was time to celebrate. They started with a song.
"Happy birthday, dear John. Happy birthday to you," the party sang to the man who can still carry a tune today.
In August, Pylman sang 'The Star-Spangled Banner' at a West Michigan Whitecaps game. A World War II veteran who navigated a B-17 Flying Fortress over Europe, the moment meant a lot to him.
WATCH: John Pylman sings the national anthem at LMCU Ballpark
"Nobody could have taken better care of me during World War II than God did," Pylman said. "Fortunate enough to survive."
After returning from the war, Pylman took a teaching position in West Michigan and later became the principal at Rogers High School.
"If you don't like kids, you aren't going to get to first base with high school," Pylman said.
A member of the Greatest Generation, the Grand Rapids resident says the "right religion" is important to living a long and rich life.
"If you don't have the right God, you better quickly find him, because that's the answer," he said. "Don't ever lose track of the fact that you are God-blessed. You and your family and your United States of America are God-blessed."
