100 And Still Going Strong

October 27, 2021 5:18 am Published by

Harry Mitchell of Etobicoke recently turned 100 and celebrated his birthday surrounded by family and friends, gliding on the dance floor. 

 

Mitchell grew up in Dundee, Scotland, with five brothers and one sister. After serving in the Royal Air Force during Second World War along with four of his brothers, Mitchell decided to take a chance and start a new life in Toronto. He met his wife Marjorie, raised a family but shortly after their 25th wedding anniversary, Marjorie got sick with cancer. Harry says the diagnosis came much too late. She died at 63 and Harry found himself without a partner in life and on the dance floor.

It was his son who gave his father a gentle nudge to try dancing again.

 

Mitchell faced perhaps one of his toughest challenges when he was 97.

He was out for a walk in Cambridge, Ont., where he was living on his own, when he was hit by a car. He suffered a brain injury, a broken jaw and neck

 

When asked if he has any wisdom to share on staying young at heart, he says this:

“There’s no real secret you can’t discover for yourself, if you’re content to take each day as it comes.”

 

He plans to keep on dancing as long as he can and setting new challenges for himself. Like when he learned to play the piano at the age of 89. 

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This post was written by Dave Palmer