Papa Jake, WWII veteran turned TikTok star, dies at 102, granddaughter says
"Our beloved Papa Jake has passed away on July 17th at 102 years young," McKaela Larson, Papa Jake's granddaughter, wrote in a post on his TikTok. "Please know, he went peacefully and was even cracking jokes til the very end."
Papa Jake, who recently won an Emmy for his interview with journalist Christiane Amanpour, was a D-Day veteran who shared his stories on TikTok to his 1.2 million followers.
"When the time is right, I will continue to share Papa Jake's stories and keep his memory alive, " McKaela Larson stated. "We appreciate all the kind words and posts. As Papa would say, love you all the mostest."
Who was Papa Jake?
Jake Larson, known as Papa Jake, was a TikToker and veteran who turned 102 in December, according to his posts. His account used the handle @storytimewithpapajake.
Larson shared stories on social media of his time in the army during World War II.
In a video posted to TikTok, the veteran stated that he was 21 years old when he landed on Omaha Beach on D-Day. He said he knew about where the armed forces were landing during D-Day because he worked on the top-secret invasion.
"The highest form of secrecy you could get," Larson said. "What an honor for a county boy."
He also shared special moments with his family, like when he walked his granddaughter, McKaela, down the aisle in February.
"At 102 years old, I am blessed to be able to walk my Granddaughter McKaela down the aisle," he wrote in the post on TikTok.
His videos garnered over 11 million likes, and he reached over a million followers in 2025.
His family has asked for privacy while they grieve and "process this loss."
Julia is a trending reporter for USA TODAY. Connect with her on LinkedIn, X, Instagram and TikTok: @juliamariegz, or email her at jgomez@gannett.com
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