"I didn't say, 'don't eat vegetables.'" Ann Bruff refutes. "I said 'I don't eat vegetables.' All the mothers are going [kill] me." Ann turned 101 recently, and went viral on on social media amid reports that she had advised against eating vegetables -- and even warned they would kill you. Ann doesn't know how or why she has lived so long, but emphasized it has had nothing to with vegetables. "I don't know how I got to be 101. It just flew by," Anne says.

Stan Stanley has lived through a lot: the Spanish Flu, the Great Depression, World War II, and the COVID-19 pandemic. And now he's 105 years old. “I didn’t think I would ever see it," Stan says. "And then I saw it for real. I’m crying.” Stan served in World War II as a radio operator on bombers. His plane was shot down, and he crashed in occupied Holland. Stan hopes to head back there one last time. “I’d like to see the roads and the houses that I stayed in and everything else.”

Brookdale Burlington has three residents who got to celebrate National Centenarian's Day. Aubrey Bowers, 100, Pearl Gillham, 102, and Doreen Burgess, 100 all spoke with WFMY, sharing their secrets to living so long. "I eat what I want to eat, even if it's wrong, if its good I'm going to eat it," Doreen says. But Pearl's answer may surprise you, "Five ounces of Casa before dinner every night!" she said.

Does 101-year-old Ann Bruff know the secret to a long life? She celebrated her birthday at Brookdale Echelon Lake, and when asked how she's lived for over a century, her answer was simple: avoid vegetables. "They will kill you," she said.

Staff at Brookdale McPherson invited the public out to celebrate their recent renovations. Both the inside and outside are completely renovated, plus new windows, siding, and a new water feature. But McPherson's executive director, Karen Krupp, says it's the residents that make a community beautiful: “Our residents and our staff; that’s the heart of our community."

Brookdale River Valley Tualatin celebrated Mary Louise Nelson’s century mark with a special luncheon. Tualatin's mayor attended and read a proclamation in her honor. In the 40s, Mary Louise Nelson worked as a parts expeditor for what was then known as Douglas Aircraft, which built bombers in Santa Monica, California. Now, 80 years later, what does she attribute her longevity to? She's not sure. "I used to walk a lot and so I didn’t do anything particular that I can think of. But I didn’t drink …” she said, adding that like other airplane factory workers she smoked a bit back in the day.

Oregon has a new centenarian - Mary Louise Nelson. She celebrated her 100th birthday at Brookdale River Valley Tualatin. She's had a lifetime of great memories and some tough ones: the Great Depression and WWII, becoming a Rosie the Riveter in California working in logistics for Douglas Aircraft Building B20s for the Allied Forces, before being swept off her feet and to the PNW for good. Mary Louise's birthday had all the joys she could ask for: some sweets, her favorite classics, and the people that have made her life enjoyable.

World War II veteran John Scott celebrated his 101st birthday at Brookdale Rome in Georgia. During his time in the war, Mr. Scott completed 23 missions over Europe and earned a Purple Heart.

September 19 marked a very special birthday for Mary Louise Nelson: born in 1924, she was treated to a birthday party at Brookdale River Valley Tualatin. 82 years ago, Mary Louise signed up to work at Douglas Aircraft in Santa Monica, California as a parts expediter. She married, and moved to Oregon after the war and had two daughters. Mary Louise's husband passed away roughly 25 years ago, but both daughters were there to attend her birthday party.

Brookdale Ronaoke celebrated 25 years in Roanoke with a ribbon cutting. The memory care community provide gentle structure for those living with conditions like Alzheimer's or Parkinson's. Sales Manager Tom Sawyer spoke to RTVT, sharing how proud he is of the community's dementia support group. "Families tell me they love to have a safe environment where they know they can speak their emotions."

The Nashville Business Journal sat down with Bahar Azhdari, Vice President, Compliance Officer for Brookdale Senior Living. Azhdari implements and oversees the ongoing, effective operation of Brookdale’s compliance program to ensure the company remains at the forefront of an ever-changing health care landscape.

Myrtle Shields and Ellen Jo Powell met in the first grade at six years old. Now, decades later, both of them live at Brookdale Danville Piedmont, rekindling their childhood friendship. “Oh, we were excited because we could catch back up and bring each other up to date about what had been going on. We really had lost track of each other,” Myrtle says.

Ron Holdsworth turned 103 years old with friends and family by his side. Ron served as a Royal Air Force gunner in World War II. "God Save the King" echoed through the halls of Brookdale Riverwalk as Ron blew out the candles on his birthday cake.

Residents of Brookdale Kenmore honored first responders with a luncheon. They sat down with these responders to hear about their service and their stories. "Sometimes it's a thankless job," says Suzanne Kuligowski, resident engagement coordinator. "This is just a small way of saying thank you."

Residents at Brookdale Kenmore are recognizing local first responders. They held a "Thank First Responder" luncheon, with special themed treats. "Our first responders are in and out of here all the time...for a variety of obvious reasons," Suzanne Kuligowski, resident engagement coordinator said. "This is just an opportunity to say thank you."