Pam Vickers begged strangers from all around the world to send cards with birthday wishes for 105-year-old grandma, Helen Mangham, since COVID-19 canceled the party the family had planned. And what a sweet way to celebrate this amazing woman!
Born on August 2, 1915, Helen Mangham has lived through so much, including two world wars. The plucky woman still lives on her own in Georgia and her family was planning to celebrate 105 in a big way.
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Sadly, though, the coronavirus pandemic hit in early 2020, putting an end to any chances of a huge birthday bash. But Helen's granddaughter, Pam Vickers, had another idea for surprising their beloved grandma. She posted a plea on social media, asking strangers from all over the world to send cards with birthday wishes for the 105-year-old granny!
The Lord has certainly blessed Ms. Helen with a long and prosperous life. She's well-loved by her family and the local community. And at nearly 105, the sweet lady has no significant health concerns.
"She's not on any medication, she doesn't take anything," Pam Vickers said. "She's, I guess, as healthy as a 105-year-old can be."
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God has blessed the Mangham family with the gift of longevity. Helen's mother and grandmothers lived into their 90s. And Helen's sisters are still going strong at 103, 101, and 94 years old, while her brother died just a few years ago in his 90s. The 5 siblings even earned the Guinness World Record for the highest combined age among living siblings!
The idea to gather birthday wishes for the 105-year-old came about as an idea because of Helen's love of receiving mail.
"Even when she gets just a few cards for Christmas or her birthdays in the past, it has just made her so happy," Pam said. "So I wanted to try to reach out to the world, actually, and just see how many cards we could get for her."
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Helen has no idea her granddaughter made the request. And her family is confident a flood of cards from all over the world is just the surprise needed to make her 105th birthday extra special!
"She's just going to love it," Pama says. "She's just going to be over the top. She'll enjoy looking at each and every one and reading them I know for sure."
Folks have already started sending birthday wishes to the 105-year-old through the comments on Facebook. And many want to know Helen's secret for a long and happy life.
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It's not the first time Helen has been asked this question. And she always had the same answer -- her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!
"Her secret to longevity is just living by the Bible," Pam Vickers explains. "She is a firm believer in living by the Bible, living by the Ten Commandments and just doing what God has asked of her all these years."
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Pam and the family plan to surprise Helen on her birthday with the cards that come in from all over. While they can't have the big bash they'd hoped for, there are still plans for a small party with 5 generations in attendance. With more than 20 acres of land, there is plenty of space to practice social distancing and even an air-conditioned spot for Helen.
Helen is sure to get plenty of birthday wishes from all around the world. And what a wonderful way to bless this inspirational 105-year-old!
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If you are interested in sending a birthday card for Helen's big day on August 2, 2020, they can be mailed to the following address:
Helen Mangham
257 Wallie Rd.
Molena, GA 30258
h/t: 13 WMAZ
Mel is the senior writer for GodUpdates, finding, writing and sharing Christian, uplifting, and health-related stories from around the world. Mel has a passion for writing and graduated with a degree in English from Randolph-Macon College in Virginia. When she’s not researching and writing stories, Mel is very active in her church. You can usually find Mel playing board games with her husband and two young girls, giving someone a hug, or hunting down a good cup of coffee!