He considers himself the luckiest man in the world.
Jake Larson, a 101-year-old Martinez resident, has lived many lives, the most notable of which was as a World War II soldier who not only survived D-Day in Normandy, France, but also, as an army company clerk, was part of the largest seaborne invasion in military history.
Larson’s chilling stories bring to life historical moments that deserve to be preserved, stories that should not be forgotten.
“The Germans had over a million mines on Omaha Beach,” Larson said in a recent interview with KTVU. “I was more afraid of stepping on a landmine than I was being shot at.”
And these stories are now being told to a new generation via TikTok, a popular platform among Gen Zers.
The war hero turned social media star has over 800,000 followers. His posts have received approximately 9 million likes.
And for the man known to his followers as “Papa Jake,” it’s a completely new medium he had no idea existed.
“Hell, I had no idea what TikTok was. Now, when you mention TikTok, I think of clocks!” he said.
On the 76th anniversary of D-Day in 2020, his granddaughter Mckaela Larson introduced him to the world of TikTok.
She posted a video of him discussing his experiences on that fateful day.
For his audience, he described moments like this: “I sense someone to my left. And I say, “Hey, buddy.” Do you have a match? I got no response. So I looked. And there was a soldier. Laying there. And the helmet was lying on its side, with the head missing.
It wasn’t long before “Storytime with Papa Jake” took off and went viral, with Larson’s incredible war stories reaching an audience far and wide.
The Minnesota farm boy was only 15 years old when he falsely claimed to be 18 in order to join the National Guard.
He is now the last man standing from the three different units he served in, and his voice is the only one left to provide firsthand accounts of what he and his platoon members went through.
Larson has taken his TikTok followers on emotional trips back to Normandy to commemorate D-Day, in addition to sharing his battlefield stories.
His posts also highlight the special honors and recognitions he has received for his heroism and efforts to preserve history.
And he talks about the things that are most important to him, such as his beloved Lola, his forever valentine. “We were married for 75 years, and I still love her,” he said about his late wife.
He never takes his remarkable life for granted.
“God has blessed me.” “He’s constantly blessing me,” Papa Jake exclaimed, “and I don’t have an ache or pain in my body!”
And for anyone who doubted his vitality, he demonstrated his strength for our camera by kicking up both legs above his head.
Next month, Papa Jake will turn 102.
When asked what the secret to his long and illustrious life was, he may have given the same answer as a young 21-year-old man on the bloody shores of Omaha Beach: “My secret is just to stay alive, I guess.” “Do not die!”
Each story shared by this social media star reaffirms his belief that he is the luckiest man in the world.
“These are the things that consistently happen to me. “Why are they always happening to me?” Papa Jake exclaimed. “I receive thousands of letters and cards. And hearing “Papa” sometimes brings tears to my eyes. Jake, you. “You have changed our lives.”
