Turning 100 years old is a big deal, and Geraldine “Jerry” Leo celebrated in a super cool way. Instead of just having cake, she did something strong that even younger people find hard: she held a plank exercise for five whole minutes.
On April 11, Jerry became 100 years old. Just a few days before, she surprised everyone at her fitness class at the Great South Bay YMCA in Bay Shore, Long Island. While others in her class could only hold a plank for two minutes, Jerry kept going with perfect form until she reached five minutes.
Her friend Marion Saturno laughed and said, “Jerry makes us all look weak, even me.”
Jerry is a star at the YMCA, where she’s been exercising since 1991. Her husband, Dominick, who passed away, told her to join when the YMCA opened, and she’s been going ever since.
Despina Tenedorio, who helps run the YMCA’s health programs, said, “Jerry is one of the strongest women I know.”
Jerry usually takes a weightlifting class on Fridays, but she took a break this week to celebrate her birthday. The YMCA and the mayor of Babylon gave her special honors, not just for being 100, but for being so full of energy and happiness.
Her teacher, Elizabeth Grant, said, “Jerry inspires everyone around her.”
Jerry shared her secret to living a long life: “Keep exercising, stay happy, and never stop moving.”
Jerry’s story shows us that age is just a number, and you can do amazing things if you stay strong and keep trying.
