102-Year-Old Navy Veteran Keeps His 15-Year Hooters Birthday Tradition Alive With Hot Wings

ARLINGTON, Va. — Glenn Ward has reached an age few people ever see, but one birthday tradition has remained remarkably consistent: every year, the 102-year-old Navy veteran likes to celebrate with a plate of hot wings at Hooters.

Ward, who lives in Arlington, Virginia, estimates that the tradition has continued for about 15 years. For him, the restaurant’s spicy wings are the main attraction — particularly the chain’s fiery 3 Mile Island sauce.

A Birthday Tradition That Became a Family Event

What started as a simple birthday meal has grown into a much bigger family gathering.

Ward’s son, Terry, said roughly 70 people attended his father’s 100th birthday celebration in 2024. On other birthdays, the family still gathers at the restaurant, which has reportedly set aside a separate room for the celebrations.

For Ward, the tradition is about more than the food. It has become a familiar annual occasion shared with his children, relatives and friends.

From Ohio Farm Food to Spicy Wings

Ward’s taste for hot wings is a long way from the food he grew up eating.

As a child in Ohio, he lived on a six-acre family farm where relatives raised chickens and grew fruits and vegetables. Meals largely followed the seasons, with produce preserved for later use.

One childhood favorite was homemade ice cream made from whatever fruit was available, including strawberries, raspberries and peaches. His family used a hand-cranked freezer and bought blocks of ice because modern refrigeration was not available to them at the time.

He also remembers eating pan haus, a traditional dish similar to scrapple, made from pork, cornmeal and seasonings.

A Remarkable Military Career

Ward’s life has also included an extraordinary military career.

He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II and later became a naval aviator. During the Korean War, he flew 102 combat missions.

Ward has joked that the Navy’s food was so good that it convinced him to stay in the service.

His experiences in the military expanded his palate considerably compared with the seasonal farm cooking of his childhood.

His Recipe for Longevity

Ward and his family continue to pay attention to what he eats.

His son says Ward often begins the day with a protein shake containing bananas, other fresh fruit, milk and protein powder. Dinner generally includes meat, vegetables and carbohydrates.

Ward himself credits a balanced diet and the eating habits he developed growing up as part of his approach to staying healthy.

But he clearly doesn’t believe longevity requires giving up every indulgence.

At 102, there is still room in his routine for his favorite spicy chicken wings.

“I Might Make It to 115”

Ward remains optimistic about the future.

When asked about his longevity, he offered a playful prediction: “I might make it to 115.”

Whether he reaches that milestone or not, his birthday tradition has already become a remarkable family story.

After more than a century of life, a distinguished Navy career and countless meals, Glenn Ward still has an appetite for adventure — and apparently, for very spicy wings.