Freda Ruleman woke up in Urbandale Iowa on her 100th birthday and said to herself — “There’s no way I can be 100 years old!”
With the big day coming in the midst of a pandemic and arctic weather keeping wind chills below zero, Freda’s family, friends and caregivers at The Arbordale in Urbandale came up with a safe way to celebrate: a parade.
Two Urbandale Police cars and an ambulance lead the parade past Freda’s residence, with family and friends from New Hope United Methodist Church and her senior center filing in behind.
Freda has the best seat in the house to watch everyone go by, snuggled warmly inside as they drove by in single digit temperatures.
Freda told a local TV station — “I had no idea I had so many friends. It’s just a happy happy day for me. When they told me they were planning this, I thought: ‘That was crazy’, but what a wonderful day.”
Freda says the last 100 years have actually gone by pretty fast for her. She says her outlook on life was formed when she was a little girl.
Freda said she was bullied because of her teeth. One year she refused to smile for her school pictures. When she got the prints she realized she looked much worse trying not to smile … so she never held back again.
After the parade wrapped up, Freda sounded ready for her next 100 years saying – “I’m 100 years old, but I’m still praising God. I’m still loving life.”