America’s oldest veteran gives you the secrets to life at 112

Blake Stilwell
Feb 5, 2020 7:00 PM PST
1 minute read
World War II photo

SUMMARY

Richard Arvin Overton was already 35 years old when he fought at Pearl Harbor. Now, 73 years after the end of World War II and his service in the Pacific Theater, the 112-year-old is alive and kicking. Today, the City of Austin and its Mayor, Stev…

Richard Arvin Overton was already 35 years old when he fought at Pearl Harbor. Now, 73 years after the end of World War II and his service in the Pacific Theater, the 112-year-old is alive and kicking. Today, the City of Austin and its Mayor, Steve Adler, even came out to wish America's oldest veteran a happy birthday.

Find out how to live your life like Richard Overton lived his.


Overton is still completely independent — he lives on his own, walks where he wants (albeit with the aid of a cane), and drives where he needs to go. He enjoys cigars, good whiskey, and dating his "lady friend."

That also happens to be Richard Overton's big, anti-aging secret, which he shared over a few drinks with We Are The Mighty's Orvelin Valle during the celebration.

"The secret to life," Overton says, "is Scotch and cigars."

Steve Adler, Mayor of Austin,u00a0joins WWII veteran Richard Overton and his neighbors at Overton's home as they celebrateu00a0his 112th birthday.
(Mark Harper)

You'll never catch Overton without a pocket full of cigars and, while you might think they're hazardous to his health and well-being, it seems they're doing more good than harm. He passes every medical test the doctors (and the DMV) can throw his way.

Although he drives himself because he thinks too many people around his neighborhood drive crazily, he isn't afraid of anything, even at his advanced age. He even remarked that he feels completely comfortable sleeping with his doors unlocked at night.

"You see a soldier with a gun," he once told National Geographic (while holding his issued M1 Garand rifle), "you don't see him turn around and come back this way."

But that stress-free life starts with a good cigar or twelve. He often smokes a dozen or more per day. He doesn't inhale, though, saying there's no point.

Richard Overton getting a light for his cigar on his 112th birthday.
(Mark Harper)

"Forget about swallowing it," Overton says. "There's no taste to it. It just makes you cough."

Not inhaling his cigars is what he calls "the healthy way." This lifestyle also includes a diet of milk, fish, corn, and soup. But the 112-year-old vet also starts his day with about four cups of coffee and ends each by eating butter-pecan ice cream.

And, sometimes, he adds whisky to the mix

He doesn't spend his money on buying things he doesn't need and he definitely doesn't use credit cards. He's been driving the same truck for decades, which he paid for with cash. Still, it's a far cry from his first car – a Ford Model T.

To live like America's oldest veteran, just live a stress-free life. Start with the simple pleasures, like ice cream, whisky, and cigars. If you don't take his advice, that's fine. As he says, "that's your bad luck."

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