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102-year-old who survived Spanish Flu pandemic in 1918 beats coronavirus

4 years 2 months 2 weeks ago Monday, September 21 2020 Sep 21, 2020 September 21, 2020 1:10 PM September 21, 2020 in News
Source: WMUR
Photo: Julia Schappals

NASHUA, NH - More than 100 years after she caught the Spanish Flu as a baby, Mildred "Gerri" Schappals is now a survivor of COVID-19.

"She was only about 10 months old when she had it," her daughter Julia told WMUR. "The doctor had given up on her and said that she would likely die. She had a high fever. They didn't even to bother to pin the diaper on her when they changed her, because she didn't move."

Schappal not only survived the 1918 pandemic but multiple bouts with cancer as well in her 60s and 70s respectively.

"She had radiation therapy for the breast cancer and had surgery and chemotherapy for the colon cancer," her daughter said. "She survived them both."

Schappals is now at an assisted living facility where she came down with COVID-19. But, even at 102, she survived that too. Her family says she has since fully recovered.

Her daughter says Gerri hopes to live to age 150.

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