Coronavirus: Family celebrates woman’s 100th birthday through nursing home window

STERLING, Mass. — Reaching your 100th birthday is a milestone worth celebrating. When a Massachusetts woman reached the century mark over the weekend, her family was unable to visit her in her person because her nursing home in Sterling is under visitation restrictions because of the coronavirus.

So, family members did the next best thing.

Millie Erickson’s relatives and nursing home staff members stood outside a window at the Sterling Village facility and sang "Happy Birthday,” WJAR reported.

Erickson, wearing a hat and holding a sign that read, “Today is my 100th birthday,” blew kisses to her family as they sang.

“It was really nice that they let us do that,” Erickson’s son, Gary Erickson, told reporters. “She doesn’t usually cry, but she did. She’s just thrilled to see everybody and she’s lived a good, long life.”

When you are 100, there are not many presents one needs, and you certainly don’t need to try and blow out candles on a cake. But for Erickson, having her family and nursing staff take the time to mark her special day was the most precious gift of all.

Cox Media Group