Surprise Parade Gives Basking Ridge Granny The Best Birthday Ever

BASKING RIDGE, NJ — Basking Ridge Carol Pankuck got the surprise of her life when she opened her front door to find a parade outside waiting to celebrate her 80th birthday while social distancing amid the coronavirus outbreak.

"It was awesome," said Pankuck's daughter Lisa Hess. "She said it was the best birthday ever, go figure! The neighbors even came out."

Pankuck's birthday was on Thursday yet she is considered "high risk" due to her age and having emphysema. She has been cooped up for the past two weeks in her home in The Barons in the Somerset Hills section of the Bernards Township to avoid contracting COVID-19.

"She has been lonely and it is heartbreaking. She is usually very social and active," Hess said.

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Despite the social distancing restrictions, Hess came up with the idea to have all of Pankuck's four children and 13 grandchildren create a parade of cars complete with signs to give her a birthday surprise.

The parade was complete with posters and family members singing Happy Birthday.

Watch the surprise birthday parade below. Credit The Pankuck family:

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