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The Independent
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Jake Larson death: World War II veteran and TikTok star dies aged 102
Beloved World War II veteran and social media star Jake Larson, popularly known as 'Papa Jake' on the internet, has died. He was 102. His death was confirmed by his granddaughter McKaela Larson in a TikTok post on Saturday, where she wrote: 'Our beloved Papa Jake has passed away on July 17th at 102 years young. He went peacefully and was even cracking jokes 'til the very end.' 'I am so thankful to have shared my Papa Jake with you all. You meant the world to him," she continued. "When the time is right, I will continue to share Papa Jake's stories and keep his memory alive. We appreciate all the kind words and posts. As Papa would say, love you all the mostest.' Larson rose to unexpected fame in his late 90s as 'Papa Jake' on his TikTok channel, where he shared personal stories of World War II and reflections on life. His catchphrase, 'Love you all the mostest,' and with his honesty about the realities of war gained him more than 1.2 million followers. Born in Owatonna, Minnesota on 20 December 1922, Larson joined the Minnesota National Guard at 15 by lying about his age and claiming he was 18, according to NPR. In January 1952, he was deployed to Northern Ireland, and ended up part of the Allied troops on the beaches of German -occupied Normandy on D-Day, 6 June 1944. He survived machine‑gun fire and advanced to the bluffs overlooking the shoreline, later continuing through the brutal Battle of the Bulge. For his actions, he was awarded the Bronze Star by the US Army and the French Legion of Honour. 'I don't think I was a hero. I was just like anybody else. We were all in this together,' he told CNN 's Christiane Amanpour in June 2024 on the 80th anniversary of D-Day, an interview for which the duo won an Emmy Award. 'I never thought I'd be alive 75 years later,' he told the New York Times in 2019, about being the only surviving member of his company. 'I'm the luckiest guy in the world.' He frequently visited Normandy for D-Day commemorations, where he embraced fellow veterans and mainland visitors alike. In 2023, Larson met British veteran Bill Gladden, then aged 99. 'I want to give you a hug, thank you. I got tears in my eyes. We were meant to meet,' Larson told Gladden at the memorable meeting, a year before the latter's death, according to a report by CBS News. 'We are the lucky ones,' Larson told the Associated Press at the 81st anniversary of D-Day in June, speaking at the graves at the American cemetery overlooking Omaha Beach. 'They had no family. We are their family. We have the responsibility to honour these guys who gave us a chance to be alive.' Tributes to Larson have poured in worldwide. Normandy's Overlord Museum wrote: ' Papa Jake was more than a soldier – he was an extraordinary witness and a messenger of remembrance.' Amanpour posted: 'So sorry to hear this. They really don't make them like Jake Larson anymore. The sacrifices he made with his Band of Brothers in WWII, and the joy he lived throughout his long life, offer an example to us all. RIP' 'Every day with him was a blessing. He got to see both of my children graduate high school, he accomplished so much. The outpouring of support is unbelievable. We have had people from all around the world reach out to us. It's really, really amazing,' Larson's grandson Mike told CBS News.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Jake Larson, World War II veteran turned TikTok star, dead at 102
Jake Larson, the World War II veteran and social media star known as 'Papa Jake,' has died, his granddaughter posted on his social media accounts Saturday. He was 102. 'Our beloved Papa Jake has passed away on July 17th at 102 years young. Please know, he went peacefully and was even cracking jokes til the very end,' granddaughter McKaela Larson said in the posts. A member of the nation's 'Greatest Generation,' Larson gained a loyal following on social media as a centenarian, posting as @storytimewithpapajake on TikTok, where he racked up more than 1 million followers with his stories about his life and military service. CNN's Christiane Amanpour interviewed Larson in Normandy, France, in June 2024 on the 80th anniversary of D-Day. Sitting in a wheelchair just steps away from the shoreline, he said he remembered the invasion 'like it was yesterday.' 'I got off the landing craft and had water right up to my chin,' he told CNN. 'We were all kids.' Larson told Amanpour he was just 15 years old when he enlisted in the National Guard — lying about his age at the time. 'I don't think I was a hero. I was just like anybody else. We were all in this together,' he said, adding he was there to tell the stories of his many friends who died during the invasion that turned the tide of the war. Asked by Amanpour whether he and other soldiers knew what they were fighting for at the time, Larson said, 'Oh, definitely. That we knew. Every one of us was prepared to give our life to kick Hitler's ass out of Europe. … And we did.' Just over three weeks ago, Amanpour won an Emmy for her interview with Larson, an honor she shared with him. He reacted to the award in a video sent to Amanpour: 'It's phenomenal. And here I am, little country boy that joins the infantry at 15 years old and I come here now, 102, going on 103 and I'm winning something like this? There is a God.' 'My dad had an epic, epic life,' his son, Karlan Larson said in a brief phone interview with CNN. His father's Emmy is 'proudly displayed' in his living room, which Karlan Larson told CNN would be 'handed down to family members — the grandkids will have to figure out a schedule.' Jake Larson was 'overjoyed' that Amanpour shared her statue with him, his son said.
Telegraph
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Puddings for one: The ultimate quick fix for a sweet tooth
'There is joy in spending hours making a cake, or proving dough,' says Remi Idowu, 'but it's not something you can do every single day.' Even less so if you're cooking for one. 'Having a sweet treat every day is what it's all about.' The 25-year-old food writer and social-media star has an unashamedly sweet tooth, and she's found a delicious way to satisfy it, if not quite every day then in moments of need – with her one-person puddings. Her single-serve brownie pie, which calls for only five ingredients, is ideal all year round. 'You can have it in the winter when you need something comforting, or with ice cream in summer to cool it off,' she says. Then there's a single-serve strawberry crisp (a spin on the beloved crumble), and a cookies and cream mug cake – a nostalgic nod to the popular food craze of the late 2000s. Idowu has also perfected a speedy cinnamon roll, which she pulls off with a dough of just Greek yoghurt and self-raising flour. She admits it took a little time to get the swirl just right, but that's half the fun. Idowu's baking experiments began in earnest in 2018, when, thanks to the encouragement of her sisters, she began sharing the results on Instagram. What started as an account filled with mouth-watering brownies, cookies and cakes (with a spell selling her creations to the public), quickly evolved into something broader. When she posted a dinner recipe and noticed a spike in engagement, she quickly realised there was an appetite for both. 'It just kept growing.' At the time, Idowu was balancing content creation with a full-time job as a web developer. 'A completely different lifestyle,' she admits, but her boss encouraged her to pursue her dream in food. The social media handle @FoodbyRemi was born, and Idowu has since racked up 1.2 million followers across TikTok and Instagram. 'My main ethos is teaching people how to cook, and removing the fear from baking and cooking.' She encourages her followers, showing that they can 'make really delicious food, very easily'. Now, she's publishing her first cookbook, Sugar & Spice (Ebury Press, £26), which showcases her favourite savoury and sweet recipes, including a chapter dedicated solely to dishes from her childhood. The daughter of Ghanaian and Nigerian parents, Idowu says some of her proudest moments are related to recipes rooted in her heritage. 'I grew up in England but my mum was always making African food,' she explains. That influence continues today. 'I once dropped a jollof rice recipe [on Instagram],' she recalls, inspired by voice notes sent by her mother, who would talk her through each ingredient and recipe step. She later added those voice recordings to her videos, and the result went viral. 'Mum's best jollof rice' can be found in the book. But much of the inspiration behind Sugar & Spice comes from the dishes Idowu made when she moved out of the family home – and her craving for something sweet after dinner. She believes almost any dessert can be turned into a single serve, although not every experiment has worked first time. 'A carrot-cake cheesecake became quite tricky,' she admits, 'so I ended up adapting it to be a no-bake cheesecake' – a recipe one hopes will appear in the follow-up book that will surely come. 'I like to think anything's possible, but maybe just not the way you imagined.' Ever creative, Idowu has just one rule when it comes to baking: 'Never compromise on taste. Never.' And once you've tried her recipes, you'll see she never does.
CNN
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- CNN
Jake Larson, World War II veteran turned TikTok star, dead at 102
Jake Larson, the World War II veteran and social media star known as 'Papa Jake,' has died, his granddaughter posted on his social media accounts Saturday. He was 102. 'Our beloved Papa Jake has passed away on July 17th at 102 years young. Please know, he went peacefully and was even cracking jokes til the very end,' granddaughter McKaela Larson said in the posts. A member of the nation's 'Greatest Generation,' Larson gained a loyal following on social media as a centenarian, posting as @storytimewithpapajake on TikTok, where he racked up more than 1 million followers with his stories about his life and military service. CNN's Christiane Amanpour interviewed Larson in Normandy, France, in June 2024 on the 80th anniversary of D-Day. Sitting in a wheelchair just steps away from the shoreline, he said he remembered the invasion 'like it was yesterday.' 'I got off the landing craft and had water right up to my chin,' he told CNN. 'We were all kids.' Larson told Amanpour he was just 15 years old when he enlisted in the National Guard — lying about his age at the time. 'I don't think I was a hero. I was just like anybody else. We were all in this together,' he said, adding he was there to tell the stories of his many friends who died during the invasion that turned the tide of the war. Asked by Amanpour whether he and other soldiers knew what they were fighting for at the time, Larson said, 'Oh, definitely. That we knew. Every one of us was prepared to give our life to kick Hitler's ass out of Europe. … And we did.' Just over three weeks ago, Amanpour won an Emmy for her interview with Larson, an honor she shared with him. He reacted to the award in a video sent to Amanpour: 'It's phenomenal. And here I am, little country boy that joins the infantry at 15 years old and I come here now, 102, going on 103 and I'm winning something like this? There is a God.' 'My dad had an epic, epic life,' his son, Karlan Larson said in a brief phone interview with CNN. His father's Emmy is 'proudly displayed' in his living room, which Karlan Larson told CNN would be 'handed down to family members — the grandkids will have to figure out a schedule.' Jake Larson was 'overjoyed' that Amanpour shared her statue with him, his son said.
