Leap Year 2020: 100-year-old grandmother celebrates her ‘25th birthday’, shares how it feels

In leap year 2020, Doris Cleife again got the chance to celebrate her birthday on the actual date she were born.

Updated on: Feb 29, 2020, 14:31:26 IST

Hindustan Times, New Delhi | By Trisha Sengupta

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The year 2020 is a leap year. It means that it has 366 days in a year instead of the usual 365 days and that extra day falls on February 29. Also, it means that some people, across the world, will get the chance to celebrate their birthdays on the actual date they were born. Just like 100-year-old Doris Cleife who is celebrating her ‘25th birthday’ in 2020.

Leap Year 2020: 100-year-old Doris Cleife hails from Portsmouth. (Facebook)

Hailing from Portsmouth, Cleife is a resident at an assisted living facility, reports the BBC. Her family along with the center’s staff came together and arranged a surprise party for this centenarian.

“I’ve waited all my life to be famous and now it happens like this” Cleife told Sky News. Further adding, she never thought she “would get this far.”

While describing her feeling about celebrating her 25th birthday, Cleife said that she doesn’t feel any different. Adding, “I wouldn’t want all the fuss but the family has been talking about it for goodness how long.”

“To be honest, I am feeling quite philosophical about becoming 100, but I am looking forward to spending time with my new friends and my family,” Cleife added.

Do you know anyone who is celebrating their birthday today?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Trisha Sengupta
Trisha Sengupta works as Chief Content Producer at Hindustan Times with over six years of experience in the digital newsroom. Known for her ability to decode the internet’s most talked-about moments, she specialises in high-engagement storytelling that bridges the gap between viral trends and traditional journalism. Throughout her tenure, Trisha has focused on the intersection of technology, finance, and human emotion. She frequently covers personal finance and real estate struggles in hubs like Gurgaon, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad, while also documenting the unique challenges of the NRI experience. Her work often highlights the movements and philosophies of global newsmakers and personalities like Elon Musk, Mukesh Ambani, Nikhil Kamath, Dubai crown prince, and MrBeast. From reporting on Amazon or Meta layoffs and startup culture to the emergence of AI-driven platforms like Grok and xAI, she provides a grounded and empathetic perspective on the stories shaping our world. When not decoding the internet, Trisha is likely offline: lost in a book, exploring a historical ruin, or navigating the world as a solo traveler. She balances her fast-paced career with family time and a healthy dose of curiosity, currently trading her "human" sources for silicon ones as she masters AI to future-proof her storytelling.Read More

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