Aug 17, 2021

Lonely, widowed, war veteran receives 700 birthday cards from strangers

Lonely, widowed, war veteran receives 700 birthday cards from strangers

Widower, Jack Annall, is on the cusp of his 101st birthday. However, he will not be able to receive a visit from his daughter, who currently lives in Australia, due to ongoing COVID-19 restrictions.

The thought of reaching such an amazing birthday milestone without the presence of family was disheartening for Jack and aged care home staff, so they decided to reach out to the public to try and lift his spirits. 

The manager of the aged care home, Vicky Gudgin, shared her thoughts on the experience with Metro UK.

“I knew he was feeling a little bit down about not being able to see his daughter and I thought, what can we do to lift his spirits? I thought, let’s get the community involved and the extent it has is incredible.”

In a matter of days, Jack has received over 700 birthday cards from all over the world, including a royal surprise in the form of a birthday card from Queen Elizabeth herself.

Jack’s 101st birthday on August 19 is now looking to be a star-studded affair with appearances from members of the local air force and the local mayor. Celebrations are then set to culminate with a brass band.

Staff have set aside a lounge within the care home for the occasion and the home will also supply gifts for the day.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

  1. A very HAPPY BIRTHDAY 🎉🎊🍻🎂🍹🍷🍸. Hope you have a good day, from Australia. We are in our eight week of lockdown, but have to carry on. Take care & all the best.

  2. How awesome to hear such a “good news” story. May God bless each and every person who contributed to make Jack’s birthday special

  3. Happy Birthday Jack, you look amazing for 101 to be. I believe your daughter will be with you in spirit on your day sending much love across the ocean from Australia.

    Enjoy your celebrations

    Ps , to the staff member that went that extra step for Jack, I am so grateful to hear that residents are being cared for and loved. Well done!

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

How to deal with workplace bullying in aged care

Why do toxic cultures arise in aged care so regularly, what aged care workers can do if they find themselves in an unsupportive environment? Read More

Older people speak out: What do they want from aged care?

A panel of older Australians was asked to share their hopes for aged care systems of the future – and they are brimming with ideas and first-hand experience they’re keen to share. Read More

Disability support work: offering time for you and the people you care for

For Izzy, who’s in her 20s, the desire to make an impact in people's lives has always been a motivating force. Still, after working in a fast-paced hospital environment, she realised she needed a career that was better suited to her need for flexibility, balance, and grounded connections with the people she supported. Read More
Advertisement