Centenarian Gets Sung To By A Passenger Train: Will You Live To See 100?

Have you ever been sung too by a passenger train? Mae Forleo can say she has. On the first weekend of August, the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad train went by her home and tooted his train whistle to the tune of “Happy Birthday to you.” Forleo lives close to Durango, Colorado, and enjoys sitting outside and waving at the people on the train as it goes by.

“Mae doesn’t think that being 100 is worthy of so many festivities, but we all do and everyone is really excited about helping her celebrate with the train,” train officials said.

All of the passengers on the train joined in on helping Mae celebrate her birthday by waving at her and shouting, “Happy Birthday” out the windows to her.

Mae turns 100-years-old on August 18.

See photos of her party and a video of the train tooting “Happy Birthday” to Mae here.

Will you live to see 100 like Mae did? What are the secrets to living that long? These are questions no one seems to be able to answer.

According to the U.S. Census, there are currently 53,364 centenarians in the U.S., which is more than any other nation in the world. According to a 2010 poll, 82.8 percent of U.S. centenarians were female. In many countries around the world, turning 100 has its benefits. Most people receive a party or a present of some sort. In the United States, a person who turns 100 receives a letter of congratulations from the president.

What are we attributing longer life too? Demographers say its because of medical advances, improved diets, and lifestyles of health and fitness.

According to Fox News, Japan, known for its low-fat staples of fish and rice, will have the most centenarians in 2050 — 627,000, or nearly 1 percent of its total population, according to census estimates.

Here’s some tips from a few of the world’s centenarians:

* Celebrate every day that you wake up. Don’t look at the calendar.

*Go out and get fresh air every single day, even if it’s only a walk around the block. The secret to staying young is to keep moving.

* Never give up on love and never hurt other people.

* If you need to cry, do it. Don’t bottle it up inside.

* Do one thing everyday that makes you happy.

* Forgive yourself and everyone else. It’s the secret to long life.

* Don’t stop looking until you find your passion and then pursue it.

* Get a pet. When you’re lonely, they will fill that void.

* Love people. Find something wonderful about every person you meet and love them.

* Get a great education. You’ll never regret it.

* Always be positive. Never focus on the negative.

* Remember: Laughter really IS the best medicine.

* be curious.

“I think [people] have to be curious. They have to be interested in life outside their little aches and pains. They have to be excited about seeing new things, meeting new people, watching a new play—just passionate about life.”

Here’s to all the Centenarians! And a very special Happy Birthday to Mae Forleo!!

[Photo via shutterstock]