Drinking whiskey and watching nail-biting games of football aren’t necessarily associated with long lives, but a woman celebrating her 105th birthday plans to mark the milestone by engaging in both activities.
Florence Hackman, a resident of Deerfield Township in south-west Ohio, will be turning 105 on Saturday, WXIX reported.
The centenarian, who is a resident of a senior living facility in Deerfield, wanted to spend her birthday with the things that she loves: cinnamon-flavored whiskey, firefighters and the Cincinnati Bengals football team.
To commemorate Hackman’s special day Saturday, the facility planned a party with Fireball whiskey as well as a screening of the Bengals’ 2pm ET game against the Minnesota Vikings.
The game has playoff implications for Hackman’s beloved team.
The Bengals – whose quarterback Joe Burrow suffered a season-ending injury in November – are among six teams in their conference with a 7-6 record who are trying to qualify for the playoffs. Their opponents are outscoring by an average of less than a point per game, suggesting Saturday could be a very close contest.
Party organizers have planned for about 50 attendees, the Cincinnati Enquirer reported, citing a press release. Expected guests include members of the Deerfield fire department, whom Hackman has supported throughout her life.
Hackman’s 104th birthday included similar festivities: she also hosted a party at her living facility on that occasion, according to WKRC, a local news affiliate.
Besides football, Fireball and firefighters, Hackman enjoys a plethora of other hobbies. Known for her positive personality among her living facility peers, Hackman enjoys playing the organ and taking long walks.
She is also said to enjoy a daily “happy hour” with other residents.
Humans have spent their history trying to figure out how to live longer. While there’s no consensus on how to do that, experts have found that an active social life can help lead to a longer life span.
• This article was amended on 16 December 2023. An earlier version placed Deerfield Township in north-east Ohio; there are several Deerfields in the state but Florence Hackman’s home is in the south-west, in the Cincinnati metropolitan area.
