D-Day veteran “Papa” Jake Larson, who became a beloved social media star later in life, has died at 102.
Born in Minnesota in 1922, Larson enlisted underage in the National Guard, later surviving German gunfire in Normandy in 1944. In his 90s, he began sharing stories of his time at war and experiences with fallen comrades, capturing millions of hearts on TikTok and making global headlines.
In an interview with the AP, Larson spoke about the horrors of war, urging world leaders to “make peace.” Just three weeks ago, he co-won an Emmy award with journalist Christiane Amanpour for their interview marking the 80th anniversary of D-Day.
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Larson would often call himself “the luckiest man in the world.”
His granddaughter McKaela Larson announced Larson’s passing on social media, writing to fans, “Please know, he went peacefully and was even cracking jokes til the very end.”
Following the news, tributes to Papa Jake trickled in from across the United States. Towns in Normandy paid homage to the veteran too; Larson had made repeated trips to the region to commemorate D-Day.
“I am so thankful to have shared my Papa Jake with you all,” Larson’s granddaughter continued. “You meant the world to him. As Papa would say, love you all the mostest.”