Tri-State WWII veteran celebrates 105th birthday

CINCINNATI (WXIX) - A Tri-State veteran is celebrating his birthday this week, but it’s not just any birthday, it’s his 105th.

From Amelia Earhart crossing the Atlantic to the moon landing and the fall of the Berlin wall, Tom Sims has seen them all.

He’s a dad of four, a grandfather to some, and a hero to our country.

“He’s really the rock of our family,” says Sims’ daughter, Marie Allison.

Now, his family and the community are coming together to celebrate his 105th birthday.

“I knew that I needed to do something above and beyond just cake and pizza,” Allison said.

With a crown on his head, he was the king of this party, and rightly so.

Sims served in the Army from 1942 to 1946. He was the recipient of numerous medals, including the Bronze Star.

Still, his family says that does not scratch the surface of his service to them or his country.

“We love him so much,” his daughter says. “He’s the, he’s the real trooper in our family.”

His advice to someone else who wants to live this long: “No secrets. I am not in control of it about how long I have to live, but I have the opportunity to make things more present in life.”

Sims is present in the lives of his family and the history of his country.

“Our veterans, they really need the support of all Americans,” says Allison.

That is the message his daughter wants everyone to know; That no veteran should be forgotten.

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