TOLEDO, Ohio — 100 years of life and service to our country deserves a massive celebration, and that's just what happened for Tom Maloney of Toledo on Wednesday.
A grand procession doesn't happen for just anyone, but for 100-year-old World War II veteran and Battle of Iwo Jima survivor Tom Maloney, the American Legion Riders wanted something special.
"Besides being the amazing person he is and surviving Iwo Jima as a Navy Corpsman and doing everything he's ever done, how often does anyone make it to 100 years old?" Secretary of the Legion Riders Lianne Whitaker said.
If you ask Maloney, he's not convinced he's done anything special.
"I can't understand this, I don't deserve all of this," Maloney said.
His fellow veterans, family and neighbors who showed up to say "Happy Birthday" would disagree.
"Moments like this you realize the uniqueness of it. I know growing up I didn't know how special it was I had a grandfather in WWII," Maloney's grandson Jon Balcerzak said.
With 100 years of experience, Maloney has this message for anyone looking for words of wisdom:
"Live your faith, love your country."
