CORDELE, Ga. —
Robert Phillips has experienced a lot of life. 96 years to be exact.
“I feel younger than 96... I don’t look it, and I don’t feel it,” he said.
He’s served in three major major theaters of war--World War II, the Korean War, and later in the Vietnam War as a navigator.
“I enjoyed navigating and telling people where to go,” he said.
He’s traveled the world.
“Italy, North Africa, Thailand, Serbia, France,” Phillips said.
He’s received countless medals, including the Distinguished Flying Cross.
He’s faced near death experiences at war.
“Another time, the Lord saved me,” he said.
He said he never would have thought about living to nearly 100-years-old when he was fighting overseas.
“I thank the Lord that I’m here too, because a lot of people didn’t make it,” Phillips said.
His experiences have given him a deeper meaning to what life is worth.
“It makes you really humble to think of all the people you knew that weren’t as lucky as me,” he said.
With so much life lived, it's hard to pick out the most important lesson.
“Holy smokes. You learn a lot in 90-something years. How can you pick out the best one?” Phillips said.
On Saturday, he celebrated his 96th birthday. However, age is just a number, he said. Phillip still does work around the house and enjoys his hobbies like fishing and hunting.
So what’s his secret to living so long? He said it could be genetics.
“My dad was 90. My mother was 100. Her sister was 100, and I had a brother who was 104,” he said.
But he said he’s made sure to do this one thing every night.
“I always drink one glass of red wine. I highly recommend it," he said.
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