My grandpa had a quadruple-bypass 25 years ago. Now 90, he credits his longevity to daily bodyweight workouts with my grandma, 87.
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Courtesy of Kris Ann Valdez
- My grandpa recently celebrated his 90th birthday.
- He attributes his long, happy life to many things, including a full social calendar and generosity.
- He and my grandma also recently started working out and doing bodyweight exercises daily.
According to my grandpa, his cardiologist calls him his "poster child."
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He had a quadruple-bypass open heart surgery 25 years ago — a surgery expected to increase his life only by 10 or so years, and he's now the longest-living patient in his cardiologist's office to undergo the procedure. He's still cognitively sharp as a tack and physically strong, as well. In January, my family gathered in a community park to celebrate his 90th birthday — just months earlier, he and my grandma marked 65 years of marriage.
Few people make it to 90. Even fewer do it alongside their chosen partner. So I called my grandpa to ask him what he thinks helped him live such a long, full life. In a society inundated with wellness advice, I was struck by how simple his answers were.
Start taking care of your health now — it's never too late to start
My grandpa started smoking in his early 20s when he joined the Air Force. Back then, he says, athletes and celebrities all smoked, and "nobody really stressed the point that it was really bad for you physically."
But once the research started showing the health consequences, my grandpa quit smoking and never looked back.
The author's grandpa has always kept a social calendar that includes friendship and time with loved ones, like her son.Courtesy of Kris Ann Valdez
Additionally, he's always kept to routines that keep him "hale and hearty." This includes taking daily walks and vitamins. As a kid, I remember my grandparents putting their vitamins and medications into plastic pill dividers and taking them with a big glass of water at the breakfast table. I'd point to different ones and ask, "What's that one?"
"Calcium," my grandpa would say. Or, "Vitamin D."
When he retired, he didn't sit around either, wasting his days on TV or scrolling through his phone, as I've watched other retirees do. Instead, he and my grandma keep a robust social calendar.
He's also diligent about going to the doctor for routine checkups or when he has a concern, and not putting it off for later.
It was actually at a routine check-up that his cardiologist caught that his arteries were blocked before he suffered a massive heart attack. That proactive approach saved his life.
He also proudly told me that he and my grandma, who is 87, have been working out for a few months now: a DVD program targeted at senior citizens, 20 minutes a day of bodyweight exercises, done partly standing and with a chair.
The author's grandpa recently celebrated his 90th birthday at the park with loved ones.Courtesy of Kris Ann Valdez
My grandparents have always treated generosity like a responsibility
When my husband was unemployed, my grandpa Zelle'd my husband and me money one day. I couldn't believe that he could use Zelle — and I was blown away by his kindness to help us stay afloat when things were tight.
But maybe I shouldn't be surprised. He's always been generous — after all, he and my grandma have supported plenty of causes over the years that they believe in.
They also volunteer their time. For many years, they volunteered at a local food pantry. And they host friends and family with open arms. Throughout childhood, I remember always feeling welcome in their home, allowed to eat as many Oreos and drink as many Frescas as I wanted.
My grandparents are generous to each other, too, making a point of enjoying their retirement after raising six kids on a strict budget. When I was 8 or 9, my grandpa even gifted my grandma a gold necklace with a pendant that read "Spoiled Rotten." To this day, she wears it proudly, loving the sentiment that he does, indeed, spoil her.
The author's grandparents have had a long-lasting love that has contributed to their longevity.Courtesy of Kris Ann Valdez
He believes conflicts should be resolved quickly
In both personal and professional relationships, he cautions that you shouldn't let things fester. When you're mad at someone, it often hurts you more than it hurts them, because "sometimes they don't even know that you're mad," he says.
As a manager for G. E. and Honeywell, he recalls that if someone spoke ill of someone else in the office, he'd say, "Oh, really? Well, let me get that other person, and the three of us will discuss this and work it out." He couldn't stand dissension on his team.
And he couldn't stand it at home, either, always working things out with my grandma before bed. They have an endearing and enduring marriage, and I speculate that their closeness plays a large part in his long life, too.
My grandpa is a man of faith and thinks that our days on earth are numbered from the start. But his commitment to consistency and fostering healthy relationships must get some credit.
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