CHERRY HILL, N.J. (AP) — A New Jersey man wanted only one thing for his 100th birthday: to return to his old job.
Hutchinson Plumbing, Heating and Cooling in Cherry Hill made Bill Hansen's wish come true, and on Monday welcomed back the retired permit coordinator.
There was a birthday cake and a standing ovation before Hansen got back to work.
CEO Fred Hutchinson agreed to pay him $1 and organized a complete day of assignments.
"He took off about 15 minutes after we signed that agreement to get to work," Hutchinson told WCAU-TV.
Hansen, of Haddon Township, retired at the age of 97 after working 32 years for the company.
"I hate being retired," he said.
Hansen went from job to job. His former co-workers wished him a happy birthday throughout the day.
Carl Canfield, the man Hansen trained to replace him, said he only hopes he can aspire to be "half the man" Hansen is.
Hansen, who spent nearly four decades working for other companies, including Exxon, said he was "blessed."
"I never had a job where I didn't want to go to work in the morning," he said.
Hansen attributes his love of work, his wife and family for his happiness.
They're also the motivation for his newest goal.
"To live to see my youngest granddaughter graduate," Hansen said. "That'll be in 2024."
- Posted March 30, 2017
- Tweet This | Share on Facebook
New Jersey man gets wish, returns to work on 100th birthday
headlines Macomb
- Nonprofit gets a boost
- Nessel joins multistate coalition to defend U.S. EPA’s greenhouse gas emissions standards for heavy-duty vehicles
- Michigan 529 Awareness Day calls on families to save with MET and MESP for children’s educational future
- Department highlights importance of 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline during Mental Health Month
- No charges for officer in death of Michigan teen struck by police car during chase
headlines National
- This Los Angeles lawyer found her calling as a death doula
- ACLU and BigLaw firm use ‘Orange is the New Black’ in hashtag effort to promote NY jail reform
- Artificial intelligence tools for brief writing and analysis are a small firm litigator’s new best friend
- Baker McKenzie partner drops suit seeking IRS documents on partnership scrutiny
- Family members sue networks after learning of loved ones’ deaths by seeing bodies on TV
- Ex-BigLaw attorney once ‘consumed with remorse’ over $10M client theft sentenced in new scheme