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A beautiful sight for Zumbrota on Saturday as the World War II veteran and prisoner of war celebrated his 100th birthday surrounded by family and friends.
(ABC 6 News) – A beautiful sight in Zumbrota on Saturday as a former World War II veteran and prisoner of war celebrated his 100th birthday surrounded by family and friends.
This is a major milestone for beloved World War II veteran Ken Axelson. April 2nd marks his 100th birthday, the same day he was released from a German war camp in 1945.
His daughter says that even though he has experienced more hardship than others, it does not prevent him from living his life to the fullest.
“To this day, I ask my father why he doesn’t have PTSD or memories of things he has heard other veterans share.” Ken’s youngest daughter, Jennifer Sanneman, said, I never once felt sorry for him or wondered why it was me.” Axelman.
With hundreds of people attending the birthday celebration throughout the day, Jennifer takes time to reflect on her fondest memories with her father.
“I was scared of the cuckoo clock. I’m 8 years old, and when the cuckoo clock went off, I got scared of daylight, so I would run up to him and jump on his lap,” Sanneman said.
Ms. Sannemann continued, “I think he just held me until he stopped and eventually realized that it was just a clock, but I think you just wanted to hold me.” So I said I just kept pretending.”
Ken asked, and he said the coast was calling to him on that day, June 6, 1944, when he was overseeing the Battle of the Bulge before it was captured by the Germans.
[WhenhearrivedinhishometownofWanamingoMinnesotainMay1945hesaysherealizedforthefirsttimehowimportanthewastothepeopleofhishometown[1945年5月にミネソタ州ワナミンゴの故郷に到着したとき、自分が故郷の人々にとってどれほど重要な存在であるかを初めて理解したと彼は言います。
“He’s never been a victim. So a lot of us are victims or feel like we’re victims, but for him it’s not even the words that come out of his mouth. No. He’s not even a survivor, he’s a conqueror,” Sannemann said.
Community members and fellow veterans wished Ken a happy birthday, and he also had the opportunity to meet his great-granddaughter. Both were born nearly 100 years apart.
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