I'll put mine in the mail tomorrow
Michigan WWII veteran hopes to receive 100 cards on his 100th birthday
By Madeline Farber | Fox News
Ahead of his 100th birthday on June 6, Michigan WWII veteran Isaac "Ike" Fabela hopes to receive 100 birthday cards, his family said.
“He’s always been that uncle that, whenever you see him, he puts a smile on your face,” Ike’s great-nephew, Nick Rodgers, told Fox News on Wednesday. “He’s very humble man; he says he has everything he needs already.”
Still, Ike’s family hopes the veteran can commemorate his centennial with birthday wishes from across the country.
Ike, born in Texas in 1918, served in World War II from 1944 to 1946. His service took him to countries like Germany and Norway. He nearly saw combat duty on D-Day on June 6, 1944, which also happened to be his 26th birthday. But he was pulled off a boat heading to the Normandy shore at the last minute, one of his eight daughters, Lolie, told Fox News on Wednesday.
“When someone calls him a hero, it touches his heart. But he doesn't feel like he deserves that title. He always says that the young men who didn’t make it back are the heroes,” Lolie said.
“It’s amazing, the things he remembers. The stories he can tell -- he’s like a walking history book,” she added.
Ike has lived in Montrose for the majority of his life, and is highly respected in the community, Lolie said. She recalled various instances of strangers approaching her father, thanking him for his countless acts of charity.
WWII vet
Ike Fabela poses for a photo in his uniform in the 1940s. (Lolie Fabela)
For instance, Lolie said a man once came up to her father, thanking him for buying his ticket to a local circus as a child because his family couldn't afford it.
“We had no idea that he had done all of those things,” she said.
Rodgers also commented on his great-uncle’s selflessness. His favorite memory with Ike, he said, was after he returned home from the Iraq War in 2006. The two had a long talk about their respective experiences in the military.
“Even though things were different, the thought process is the same,” said Rodgers. “It was neat to tie our two hardships together; it’s something that I’ll never forget.”
Lolie said her father is “so excited” for his birthday, adding that the majority of Montrose will take part in various planned celebrations.
“He is a very humble man and says that he's never done anything to deserve all this," she said. “But he has.”
If you would like to send Ike a birthday card, you can mail it to:
Ike Fabela
C/O Nick Rodgers
PO Box 3112 Montrose, MI 48457
