109-Year-Old Tampa Resident Survives 2nd Worldwide Pandemic

TAMPA, FL — Kam Wong was just 7 years old the first time the word "pandemic" was used to refer to a deadly viral epidemic that spread around the world.

It was 1918 and the killer flu strain called the Spanish flu because it first appeared in Spain quickly moved into Asia where Wong was living with her family at the time. It eventually spread throughout the world, killing an estimated 500 million people, about a third of the planet's population at that time.

There were no effective drugs or vaccines against this killer flu. So schools, theaters and businesses were shut down and people were ordered to wear face masks.

Now, 102 years later, Wong, who now lives in Tampa, has once again donned a face mask and watched area schools and businesses close. Additionally, she and fellow residents of the Palm Terrace Assisted Living Facility at 5121 E. Serena Drive have been cut off from their loved ones while all nursing facilities are on lockdown.

Nevertheless, the staff of Palm Terrace Assisted Living Facility wasn't going to allow this latest pandemic to prevent Wong from celebrating her 109th birthday.

Courtesy Tampa Police

The assisted living facility contacted the Tampa Police Department, which organized a parade of police cruisers, which drove past the facility on Friday as residents sat outside and watched. The birthday girl was front and center, wearing a crown that matched her brightly colored face mask and a T-shirt proudly declaring her age.

"What really got to me was when her family drove by in their cars," said staff member Denise Meyer." Each one drove up to her and talked to her in her language. When she turned, I saw tears on her cheeks."