William “Bill” Lapschies is resilient!  He has lived through the Spanish Flu, the Depression, fought in WWII and now has completely defeated and recovered from the Coronavirus pandemic, the oldest known COVID-19 survivor – just in time for his 104th birthday!

Even though he couldn’t take visitors at his Veteran’s Home in Oregon, his family did give him another unique experience; a social distancing birthday party, where they held up signs, balloons and more from over six feet away outside of the home.

Bill’s daughter said he was one of the first people at the home to get Coronavirus and doctors weren’t sure if he’d recover.  Bill, shouting “I made it!” for UPLIFT’s camera crew seems ready for anything cause he says he’s got “a few more years left in him.”

The 104-year-old can’t wait til the pandemic’s over.  He wants to see his multiple children, grandchild and great-grandchildren where they’ll take him on a drive “to see the mountains and rivers again.”