As the saying goes, age is just a number. Here at the HighLine Senior Apartments, we know this all too well, but this week on the blog, we wanted to highlight some individuals who know it better than most. Starting over has no sell-by date, and these individuals prove it.
Colonel Harland Sanders — Created KFC at 65
Colonel Harland Sanders is the founder of what is now known as KFC. Sanders spent much of his life going between different jobs throughout the United States, having little success in many business ventures. However, this all changed after he finalized his secret recipe for making fried chicken in a pressure cooker, rather than pan frying. In 1952, at the age of 62, Sanders franchised his recipe for the first time. After significant and fast-paced expansion to more than 600 locations, Sanders sold what is now known as KFC in 1974 at the age of 73.
Diana Nyad — Swam from Cuba to Florida at 64
Diana Nyad is a marathon swimmer who, at the age of 64, became the first person to swim more than 100 miles from Cuba to Florida unassisted. The feat took Nyad 53 hours to complete and was her 5th attempt. After finally achieving her life's goal, Nyad said, “I got three messages… One is that we should never ever give up. Two is you are never too old to chase your dreams. Three is it looks like a solitary sport, but it takes a team.”
Arianna Huffington — Founded The Huffington Post at 55.
Arianna Huffington co-founded the Huffington Post at the age of 55, followed by Thrive Global, a technology company focused on health and productivity at the age of 66. As editor-in-chief of The Huffington Post, it was ranked the most powerful blog in the world in 2008. Having sold the publication in 2011, Huffington has also written 15 books and continues to be a trailblazer at the age of 71. When discussing aging in today's world, Arianna notes, ‘When we prioritize our well-being, these can be years not of retreat and withdrawal, but of expansion and engagement, whether personal, professional or both’.
Joe Thomas Sr. — Played College Football at 55
Joe Thomas Sr.’s lifelong dream had been to play college football. In 2016, at the age of 55, he achieved just that. Joe Sr. took the field in a 32-0 victory over Savannah State on senior day as the oldest walk-on running back for South Carolina State. Studying engineering at college, Joe Sr. proved that age is just a number!
Society may suggest that aging brings limits, but these individuals remind us that possibility has no expiration date. At any stage of life, dreams can be realized, and it is never too late to do or create something extraordinary.