COVID-19 can't stop centenarian's party

Centenarian's birthday changed but not cancelled A London, Ont. woman turning 100 was still serenaded on her birthday, just from a bit farther away. CTV's Sean Irvine has the details.

London, Ont. — Rosine Levy waited 100 years for her 15 seconds of fame.

But she never knew it would come during a great pandemic, and at the exact moment she’d just finished washing her hair.

Still, the resident of a south London retirement home says she was pleasantly surprised to see and hear eight members of her immediate family - and others - outside her window Monday to celebrate her birthday.

The move, thought up by her granddaughter, Karen Krysak, was an attempt to recognize a major milestone in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

To get the surprise started, her son Cliff Levy placed a phone call from just below her fourth floor unit.

He attempted to get her to come out onto her balcony, but once Rosine picked up, she had a message for him slightly upending the plan.

“You caught me washing my hair.”

The centenarian resisted only a short while longer though. Soon she appeared, with a towel on her head, at her apartment window, and opened it up to listen.

It was then Rosine heard “Happy Birthday" sung - with two encores.

She smiled, waved and blew kisses throughout.

“It’s beautiful, it’s lovely. I want to thank you so much for everything,” she told her family over the phone afterwards.

Answering a few questions from CTV News following the celebration, Rosine commented on the challenge of having her birthday in these difficult times, and offered general advice on living a long life that - truly - resonates with the current situation.

“Obey your body and look after your health.”

Rosine, the daughter of British nationals, grew up in Egypt, later moving to England and then onto Canada. She speaks several languages.

Cliff, her only child, was joined by his two children and their children to celebrate Rosine’s milestone.

Staff of the nursing home brought out Rosine’s cake, sealed for protection, to show the family.

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