D-Day veteran “Papa” Jake Larson, who turned a beloved social media star later in life, has died at 102.
Born in Minnesota in 1922, Larson enlisted underage within the Nationwide Guard, later surviving German gunfire in Normandy in 1944. In his 90s, he started sharing tales of his time at struggle and experiences with fallen comrades, capturing thousands and thousands of hearts on TikTok and making international headlines.
In an interview with the AP, Larson spoke concerning the horrors of struggle, urging world leaders to “make peace.” Simply three weeks in the past, he co-won an Emmy award with journalist Christiane Amanpour for his or her interview marking the eightieth anniversary of D-Day.
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Larson would typically name himself “the luckiest man on the earth.”
His granddaughter McKaela Larson introduced Larson’s passing on social media, writing to followers, “Please know, he went peacefully and was even cracking jokes til the very finish.”
Following the information, tributes to Papa Jake trickled in from throughout america. Cities in Normandy paid homage to the veteran too; Larson had made repeated journeys to the area to commemorate D-Day.
“I’m so grateful to have shared my Papa Jake with you all,” Larson’s granddaughter continued. “You meant the world to him. As Papa would say, love you all of the mostest.”
