CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, Ohio — Few on this earth can say they live old enough to see 100. Perhaps even fewer can say they are as active as 100-year-old John Prcela.
He celebrated his 100th birthday on Wednesday, March 9.
Prcela is an accomplished writer of four books, a former teacher, a father to four kids, grandpa to eight, and loves to pray, go swimming, and cook.
Many of Prcela's books are mostly faith-based. His book "Operation Slaughterhouse" though, recounts his experience and the experiences of many Croatians during the Croatian genocide at the hands of Yugoslavians in the aftermath of WWII.
After surviving that, Prcela went to on become a teacher in the South Euclid-Lyndhurst school district for 34 years. He has since been retired for 34 years as well. He also finds joy in the little things.
"I like to cook, I don't cook too many meals. I used to cook very delicious soup. Now I cook delicious fish fry, delicious omelets. I always find something new because I have a lions appetite," he jokes.
We asked him how he works off his meals. Prcela still exercises about three times a week with the help of his kids for transportation.
"A lot of kicking in the water at Peter B Louis Aquatic Center in Beachwood," he told 3News' Stephanie Haney. "My children want to keep me in good shape, and it keeps me going."
During our interview, we also noticed a special medal hanging on Prcela's neck. He explains it's his way of remembering his late wife.
"I met her in 1963 in Spain during summer vacation, I spent. I didn't know her name but I identified her by this medal," Prcela recounts. "And this is like my trademark, continuously, it's my medal around me, except when I'm swimming!"
You can hear more from John in our "It's All Good (News!)" show with Stephanie Haney that publishes on our YouTube page every Thursday at 1 p.m.
