War veteran who was awarded a Purple Heart celebrates his 101st birthday at HOOTERS - and vows to return every year until he dies

Harry Perez Cerezo, from El Paso, Texas, was honored at the chain on January 5The World War II and Korean War veteran was moved to tears at his party Harry plans on ringing in his birthday at Hooters every year until he dies 

A World War II and Korean War veteran who received a Purple Heart celebrated his 101st birthday at Hooters — and has vowed to return there every year until he dies.

Harry Perez Cerezo, a retiree from Texas, was joined by his family, friends, and the Veterans of Foreign Wars organization when he rang in his milestone birthday at the chain’s El Paso location on January 5.

The centenarian was serenaded by the Hooters girls and gifted a signed Hooters hat in honor of his many years of service during the emotional party.

‘I have never seen him cry, and we saw him cry there. His tears just came rolling down,’ his niece Josie Ramirez, 63, told DailyMail.com.

Purple Heart recipient Harry Perez Cerezo celebrated his 101st birthday with his family and friends at the Hooters in El Paso, Texas, on January 5

The centenarian was serenaded by the Hooters girls and gifted a signed Hooters hat in honor of his many years of service

Harry was not even 18 when he joined the U.S. Armed Forces using his mother’s maiden name, and shortly after, he married his late wife, Bibiana Perez.

He served in World War II and then the Korean War, during which he was shot in the back. Instead of being sent home, he was required to return to service after he recovered.

Josie explained that her uncle doesn’t like to talk about the wars because he gets teary-eyed thinking about the ‘goodie buddies’ he lost.

After serving in the military for 22 years, he was awarded the Purple Heart, an honor given to those wounded or killed while in service.

Harry worked in the post office until he retired, and he has been living by himself in El Paso since his wife passed away in 2018.

He had never heard of Hooters until last year — when Josie and her husband, Victor Ramirez, 65, took him to the restaurant for his 100th birthday.

Josie explained that her uncle doesn’t like to go out because he is hard of hearing and too stubborn to wear his hearing aids.

When they asked what he wanted to do for his milestone birthday, he thought of his days as a G.I. and joked that he wanted them to take him somewhere to see ‘some behind.’

‘I have never seen him cry, and we saw him cry there. His tears just came rolling down,’ his niece Josie Ramirez, 63, told DailyMail.com of the veteran’s emotional reaction

Harry was not even 18 when he joined the U.S. Armed Forces using his mother’s maiden name. He served in World War II and the Korean War, during which he was shot in the back

Harry worked in the post office until he retired, and he has been living by himself in El Paso since his wife passed away in 2018

Victor honored the veteran’s wishes and took him to Hooters, where he was surprised to see scantily clad women serving wings and beer in a family-friendly setting.

‘He was like, “Oh my God… If I live to be 101, I want to come back here,” Josie recalled of her uncle’s reaction.

‘I’ll be here until at least 105,’ he told her.

‘He liked the atmosphere, the girls, and the customers,’ she said. ‘Everybody was coming and buying him a drink or greeting him, and he really enjoyed all of that. He took it all in.’

Josie didn’t understand why he was fixated on turning 105 until she realized that it is the year the battery in his pacemaker needs to be replaced.

Harry jokes that he is living on batteries and when the batteries die, he’s going to die, but his niece likes to remind him that it’s a simple surgery to replace the generator.

Harry had never heard of Hooters until last year, when Josie and her husband, Victor Ramirez, 65, took him to the restaurant for his 100th birthday

The veteran has vowed to celebrate his birthday at Hooters every year until he dies

He is in excellent health for his age and many people assume he is in his 70s.

The widower still lives on his own and continues to clean and do his laundry, although Josie likes to stop by to help him out and make him meals. He only recently stopped driving at the request of his niece. 

The secret to Harry’s longevity seems to be nothing more than continuous exercise and eating in moderation.

Josie explained that he has always worked out and has refused to let his age deter him from keeping his daily routine.

He wakes up every morning and hops on his treadmill, walking for 15 minutes before taking a break and watching Mexican soap operas.

After about an hour, he will get back on the treadmill. He does that four times a day and also rides a stationary bike while he watches TV.

Josie added that Harry doesn’t eat a lot and is careful not to overstuff himself. He typically has a bean burrito or pancakes with coffee for breakfast.

He only had about two chicken wings and some cake at his birthday party at Hooters, although he did enjoy more drinks than usual.

Josie said he only had one beer when he turned 100, but he confessed that he didn’t take his medication this year because he wanted to ‘drink it up.’

Harry and his late wife weren’t able to have children of their own, and he was moved to see his nieces, their children, and their grandchildren gathered at Hooters to celebrate his birthday.

‘Whenever we get together like that, he always says, “I never thought that I’d have so much family in my life,”‘ Josie explained. 

The birthday was one that Harry will never forget, and he plans on continuing the tradition until he dies.

‘I just want to thank Hooters and everybody who was involved [in helping] celebrate his birthday and his service to this country,’ Victor said.