104: Meet The Oldest Ethiopian in America

Aman in Denver, Colorado, walks the mall everyday at 104-years-old. Originally from Ethiopia, Mekey Yetashework who lives up to his name – ‘Yetashework’ (የታሸወርቅ) in Ethiopic means ‘rubbed gold’ — offers golden tips on how to stay young and healthy — old is gold, indeed.

“Exercise must be done daily,” he said.

Perhaps his stride is a tenth of yours, but there is likely no person at the Cherry Creek Shopping Center who has walked as far in this life as Yetashawork.

“He walks the mall almost every day, and he just keeps going,” mall employee Bill Bradshaw said.

Yetashawork walks a half mile, every day.

“Two hours,” he said. “It takes me two hours.”

He’s walked at the Cherry Creek Shopping Center with a slow and steady gait for 12 years, always singing or humming a song.

“Every day when I was a kid my mom worked at the mall, and I would see him walking around, same pace,” mall employee Arkady Jencks said.

“Until you die, you have to move!” Yetashawork said.

Moving forward is Yetashawork’s philosophy, even when he has to sit.

“When I sit down, you see me. My feet always, always [are moving],” he said. “That’s the most important part of your body.”

Born in Ethiopia, Yetashawork is a refugee to the U.S. He is a retired pharmacist who has taught himself ten languages. Yet the language he probably speaks best is with his body.

At his age, all his friends know him and love him because at his age, so many want to know how he does it.

“I eat once a day. Once a day only,” he said. “Then I have my stomach rest, you know?”

He believes that 90 percent of his strength comes from God.

“You have to pray for your bread and work also,” he said.

As generations come and go, Yetashawork is one centenarian who has caused the younger generation to take a look.

“We all have aches and pains, and we’re all 40 to 50. We won’t say our age, but here he is just moving forward,” Bradshaw said.

And that’s a philosophy on life, even though he moves a bit slower than the rest of us, that makes sure the rest of us are watching how Yetashawork continues to live.

“You have to move,” he said.

Yetashawork’s family and his nursing home trade duties take him to the mall.

Top officials at the Cherry Creek Shopping Center say they plan to throw a party for Mekey’s 104th birthday on April 12.

Source

እንኳን ለዚህ አደረሰዎ፡ ጋሽ የታሸወርቅ!

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