{"id":7693,"date":"2026-01-05T19:30:00","date_gmt":"2026-01-05T19:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/itsveterans.com\/?p=7693"},"modified":"2026-01-05T19:30:00","modified_gmt":"2026-01-05T19:30:00","slug":"tai-chi-then-birthday-cake","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/itsveterans.com\/?p=7693","title":{"rendered":"Tai Chi, then birthday cake"},"content":{"rendered":"

Originally published:<\/strong> 2026-01-05T19:30:00+00:00. Historical source article: benefits, rules, amounts and deadlines may have changed. Check the official source for current information.<\/p>\n

Veteran celebrates his 100th birthday after attending his weekly Tai Chi class<\/h2>\n

The energy in the beginner Tai Chi class session changed once everyone learned they\u2019d be celebrating their Marine Veteran and centenarian classmate\u2019s milestone with birthday cake afterwards.<\/p>\n

As the class wound down, Robert Minicucci\u2019s family and his health care team at the Coatesville VA Medical Center crowded into the room to celebrate his 100th birthday.<\/p>\n

The Executive Medical Center Director, Jennifer Harkins, accompanied by other members of the executive leadership team, presented Minicucci with a coin and certificate from VA Secretary Doug Collins. Minicucci\u2019s classmates hung around to congratulate their fellow Veteran, shared stories with his family and enjoyed a piece of cake.<\/p>\n

Secrets to long life<\/h2>\n
\n
<\/a>
100-year-old Marine Corps Veteran Robert Minicucci celebrates his birthday with his family, fellow Veterans and health care team at the Coatesville VA Medical Center after attending his Tai Chi class on Nov. 18, 2025.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Before becoming a Marine (served stateside from 1944 to 1947), Minicucci\u2019s first job was in the Boston shipyard, where, at age 16, he almost fell to his death. Events like this may explain why he avoids offering sage advice. After his service, he earned a degree in electrical engineering and largely worked in sales for electronics businesses. His last job before retiring was with GTE. Back then it was known as the General Telephone & Electronics Corporation.\u00a0<\/p>\n

When people inevitably asked for his secret to long life, Minicucci gave three different answers. He joked that it is good food, red wine and his Italian blood. When pressed harder, he reluctantly shared that his family wasn\u2019t big on smoking, and he could count on one hand how often he smoked. But his experience in the shipyard, his time in service, and a lifetime of untold experiences may explain his first answer to everyone. \u201cJust lucky, I guess,\u201d is the one he might truly believe.<\/p>\n

At 100, Minicucci has a modest exercise plan to stay active and healthy. He has a 15-minute daily exercise routine each morning and then does strengthening exercises throughout the day, where he will move from sitting to standing for 15 to 30 repetitions for each set. Minicucci has five children and shares a home with one of his daughters, Joya. He walks a short path there throughout the day to boost his activity level when he feels the need.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Strength and balance<\/h2>\n

\u201cAt my age, I get a little wobbly sometimes. My legs are a problem. I\u2019m trying to strengthen them up. I\u2019m doing pretty good on that. I have a cane, but I almost never use it because I don\u2019t want to get too dependent on it,\u201d he shared.<\/p>\n

Tai Chi<\/a> classes benefit Veterans with arthritis, mobility limitations and help counter the physical effects of aging.<\/p>\n

\u201cHis balance has gotten so much better,\u201d said Joya. Minicucci gets most of his care here at Coatesville VA. <\/p>\n

\u201cThe care is amazing. Everybody is so considerate. Every single time we leave here, we leave with a smile. We are very happy here,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

The beginners and advanced Tai Chi classes host Veterans from all levels of physical ability and range in age, starting in their 40s to today\u2019s celebrated centenarian, Mr. Minicucci.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt helps with balance, prevents falls, helps people think about the way they step and move through spaces, improves cardiovascular fitness, and lowers blood pressure,\u201d said Ellen Barnes, recreation therapist and Tai Chi instructor at Coatesville VA. \u201cVeterans build endurance, but gently and over time.\u201d<\/p>\n

For his birthday, his family conspired to have 100 birthday cards sent to him, and although his birthday has passed, Minicucci received more than 140 cards, with more on the way.<\/p>\n

Coatesville VA wishes Bob Minicucci a Happy 100th Birthday and many more! If you want to learn more about Tai Chi<\/a>, reach out to your local\u00a0Whole Health Point of Contact<\/a> or talk with your health care provider and ask them about a consultation for Tai Chi sessions.<\/p>\n

\n

Source: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs<\/a>. Its Veterans is an independent publication and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. government.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Veteran celebrates 100th birthday with his family, fellow Veterans and health care team after attending his weekly Tai Chi class.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":91,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7693","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-u-s-veterans-news"],"yoast_head":"\nTai Chi, then birthday cake - Its Veterans<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Veteran celebrates 100th birthday with his family, fellow Veterans and health care team after attending his weekly Tai Chi class.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/itsveterans.com\/?p=7693\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Tai Chi, then birthday cake - 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