Latest news with #D-Day
The Star
3 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Star
Jake Larson, US WWII veteran with 1.2 million TikTok followers, dies at 102
He became an unexpected social media star when his granddaughter opened a TikTok account in his name. Photo: Jake Larson/Instagram Jake Larson, a World War II veteran who had over 1.2 million followers on TikTok, has died at the age of 102, as announced by his granddaughter on social media. Affectionately known online as "Papa Jake," Larson helped plan the Normandy landings and stormed Omaha Beach in Normandy, France. He became an unexpected social media star when his granddaughter opened a TikTok account in his name, followed by his autobiography. "Our beloved Papa Jake passed away on July 17th at the age of 102. Please know that he went peacefully and continued to make jokes until the very end," his granddaughter, McKaela Larson, wrote on Instagram. "At this time, my family and I are asking for some privacy as we process this loss." "I am so grateful that I got to share my Papa Jake with all of you. You were the world to him. When the time is right, I will continue to share Papa Jake's stories and keep his memory alive," she added. "We appreciate all of your kind words and posts. As Papa would say, I love you a bushel and a peck." Born on December 20, 1922, in Owatonna, Minnesota, Larson grew up on a farm without electricity or running water during the Great Depression. He enlisted in the National Guard in 1938 at the age of 15, lying about his age, according to the Best Defense Foundation. His unit was transferred to federal service in 1941 following Japan's surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. In January 1942, he was sent overseas and stationed in Northern Ireland. He became an operations sergeant and prepared plans for Operation Overlord, the invasion of Normandy. Larson was among the Allied troops who stormed the Normandy coast on June 6, 1944, surviving machine-gun fire as he landed on Omaha Beach. He made it unscathed to the bluffs overlooking the beach, then littered with German artillery positions that mowed down American soldiers. After D-Day, he fought during the Battle of the Bulge. He and his beloved Lola later settled in California, where they raised a family after the war. In 2020, his granddaughter started a TikTok account, "storytimewithpapajake," through which he amassed online fame. In 2021, he wrote an autobiography titled The Luckiest Man Alive: Stories From Papa Jake's Life . Larson returned to Normandy for several commemorative celebrations and for the anniversary of D-Day in recent years. – Adnkronos International/Tribune News Service
Express Tribune
6 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Papa Jake' dies at 102
The American war veteran Jake Larson has died at the age of 102, as reported by DW. Known to his 1.2 million followers on TikTok as "Papa Jake," he captivated both young and old with his stories. In a statement on his social media accounts, his granddaughter McKaela Larson wrote that he died peacefully on July 17, and was "even cracking jokes 'til the very end." Larson was known for his quick smile and how he combined humorous anecdotes with somber reminders about the horrors of war. He had been living in Lafayette, California. A self-described Minnesota farm boy, he gained a huge following online in later life by sharing stories of WWII. He was born on December 20, 1922 in Owatonna, Minnesota. In 1938, while lying about his age, Larson enlisted in the National Guard at 15 years old. In 1942, he was stationed in Lurgan, Northern Ireland. He became operations sergeant and assembled the planning books for the invasion of Normandy. Larson was among the nearly 160,000 Allied Troops who stormed Normandy's beaches on D-Day, June 6, 1944. He survived machine gunfire when he landed on Omaha Beach. "We are the lucky ones," Larson told the Associated Press at the 81st anniversary of D-Day in June, "They had no family. We are their family. We have the responsibility to honour these guys who gave us a chance to be alive." He had been awarded the Bronze Star, and French Legion of Honour for his service. Larson often called himself "the luckiest man in the world," and expressed awe at the attention he received. "I'm just a country boy. Now I'm a star on TikTok," he told AP in 2023. "I'm a legend! I didn't plan this, it came about."
Calgary Herald
15 hours ago
- Health
- Calgary Herald
Joe Biden's 'absolutely horrible debate' against Donald Trump due to Ambien, son Hunter says
Article content In the days following a disastrous debate against Donald Trump in the first U.S. presidential debate last summer, then-president Joe Biden eventually blamed fatigue for his poor showing that night. Article content His son Hunter, in a rare one-on-one interview posted this week, said there was good reason for his father's fatigue in the 'absolutely horrible debate': staff had given the president a sleeping pill. Article content Article content Article content 'And it feeds into every bulls— story that anybody wants to tell.' Article content Article content The prescription drug is predominantly used to treat insomnia by helping people fall asleep faster and sleep for longer. According to the FDA, common risks for older adults can include confusion and memory problems, as well as next-day drowsiness. Article content Biden later clarified to ABC that he was not implying his father was given Ambien directly before the debate and had 'no idea whether or not he used Ambien while travelling through multiple times zones in the weeks leading up to the debate.' Article content Article content 'My point was that his debate performance was completely out of character then and now,' he said. Article content Article content Prior to a week of debate prep spent at Camp David between June 20-27, Joe Biden had travelled to France to commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-Day on June 6, then back to the U.S. to continue his campaign, according to NBC. He returned to Europe for the Group of Seven meeting on June 14 and was back in Los Angeles for a fundraiser on June 15 — 12 days prior to the tête-à-tête with Trump.
Vancouver Sun
15 hours ago
- Health
- Vancouver Sun
Joe Biden's 'absolutely horrible debate' against Donald Trump due to Ambien, son Hunter says
In the days following a disastrous debate against Donald Trump in the first U.S. presidential debate last summer, then-president Joe Biden eventually blamed fatigue for his poor showing that night. His son Hunter, in a rare one-on-one interview posted this week , said there was good reason for his father's fatigue in the 'absolutely horrible debate': staff had given the president a sleeping pill. 'I know exactly what happened in that debate,' the younger Biden told Andrew Callaghan, host and creator of Channel 5, an independent, crowdfunded U.S. news outlet on YouTube, explaining that his father had recently flown around the world multiple times in the weeks leading into the debate. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. 'He's 81 years old. He's tired as s—. They give him Ambien to be able to sleep. He gets up on the stage, and he looks like he's a deer in the headlights. 'And it feeds into every bulls— story that anybody wants to tell.' The prescription drug contains zolpidem, which is predominantly used to treat insomnia by helping people fall asleep faster and sleep for longer. According to the FDA , common risks for older adults can include confusion and memory problems, as well as next-day drowsiness. Biden later clarified to ABC that he was not implying his father was given Ambien directly before the debate and had 'no idea whether or not he used Ambien while travelling through multiple times zones in the weeks leading up to the debate.' 'My point was that his debate performance was completely out of character then and now,' he said. According to the Associated Press , Joe Biden was prescribed the medication to help him sleep following trips to Europe. A spokesperson for his office declined to comment on Hunter's interview. Prior to a week of debate prep spent at Camp David between June 20-27, Joe Biden had travelled to France to commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-Day on June 6, then back to the U.S. to continue his campaign, according to NBC. He returned to Europe for the Group of Seven meeting on June 14 and was back in Los Angeles for a fundraiser on June 15 — 12 days prior to the tête-à-tête with Trump. 'I decided to travel around the world a couple of times … shortly before the debate,' he said at a campaign fundraiser in Virginia days after the debate. 'I didn't listen to my staff … and then I almost fell asleep onstage,' he quipped. His performance in the June 27 televised debate added to the existing concerns about and cognitive ability to carry out the duties of president for another four-year term. In the early goings, he struggled to complete thoughts and sentences, and he spoke in a quiet, almost raspy voice throughout, which he and aides later attributed to a severe cold. A day after the debate, however, a much more alert Biden reaffirmed his commitment to the race at a rally in North Carolina, telling supporters 'the stakes are too high' for him to drop out. 'I know I'm not a young man. I don't walk as easily as I used to. I don't talk as smoothly as I used to. I don't debate as well as I used to, but I know what I do know: I know how to tell the truth,' he said, per CNN . 'I know right from wrong. And I know how to do this job, I know how to get things done. And I know what millions of Americans know: When you get knocked down, you get back up.' Days later, in an ABC interview, he said he'd only step down if 'Lord Almighty' instructed him to do so. Come July 21, and still recovering from a fresh COVID diagnosis days earlier, Biden resigned from the race and endorsed then vice-president Kamala Harris as the Democratic nominee. Hunter Biden said, 'the vultures descended' after seeing the video of his father slowly walking up the steps to Air Force One while sick with COVID. At the time, the president was still committed to seeking re-election. The younger Biden, whose convictions on tax and gun charges were unconditionally pardoned by his father before leaving office, contended that people need to accept that age alone does not dictate ability. 'The thing that we're going to have to grapple with as a society that's bigger than Joe Biden is how we handle people that age in front of our eyes and recognize that they may have lost a physical step, but that does not mean they don't have the mental capacity to continue to do their job and whether there still should be to be valued. 'So my dad grew old in front of everybody's eyes, and the difference between whether or not you thought that he was politically viable, based upon your own biases, or whether you thought that he was politically capable based upon his accomplishments.' Hunter Biden's over three-hour sit-down with Callaghan is also making headlines this week over expletive-laden comments the former president's son made about actor George Clooney. The Ocean's trilogy star wrote an op-ed in the New York Times after the debate in which he encouraged Biden to drop out. 'F— him and f— everyone around him,' Biden said pointedly. 'What right do you have to step on a man who's given 52 years of his f—ing life to the service of this country and decide that you, George Clooney, are going to take out basically a full-page ad in the f—ing New York Times to undermine the president?' Much of the interview, published on the anniversary of Joe Biden announcing his withdrawal, focuses on Biden's recovery from alcohol and drug addiction and includes a discussion about the laptop scandal. The matter involves a personal computer allegedly owned by Biden and containing contents that raised questions about his foreign business dealings and whether his father was involved. Officials eventually confirmed much of the material was real, but found no evidence directly implicating the president. Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here .
Edmonton Journal
15 hours ago
- Health
- Edmonton Journal
Joe Biden's 'absolutely horrible debate' against Donald Trump due to Ambien, son Hunter says
Article content In the days following a disastrous debate against Donald Trump in the first U.S. presidential debate last summer, then-president Joe Biden eventually blamed fatigue for his poor showing that night. Article content His son Hunter, in a rare one-on-one interview posted this week, said there was good reason for his father's fatigue in the 'absolutely horrible debate': staff had given the president a sleeping pill. Article content Article content Article content Article content The prescription drug is predominantly used to treat insomnia by helping people fall asleep faster and sleep for longer. According to the FDA, common risks for older adults can include confusion and memory problems, as well as next-day drowsiness. Article content Biden later clarified to ABC that he was not implying his father was given Ambien directly before the debate and had 'no idea whether or not he used Ambien while travelling through multiple times zones in the weeks leading up to the debate.' Article content Article content 'My point was that his debate performance was completely out of character then and now,' he said. Article content Article content Prior to a week of debate prep spent at Camp David between June 20-27, Joe Biden had travelled to France to commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-Day on June 6, then back to the U.S. to continue his campaign, according to NBC. He returned to Europe for the Group of Seven meeting on June 14 and was back in Los Angeles for a fundraiser on June 15 — 12 days prior to the tête-à-tête with Trump.
