BRINY BREEZES, Fla. (CBS12) — An american hero who survived D-Day and being captured by Nazis is getting a little help from a local politician to survive the pandemic.
“He’s got one story after the other. He’s lived a full life and has more to go,” said State Representative Mike Caruso.
Caruso was making calls in his district when a woman in Briny Breezes told him about Veteran Ed Manly.
“98-years-old and he can’t get deliveries from Publix anymore, and he can’t drive so just wondering if you could bring him some food, that’d be great,”said Caruso.
Caruso has been trying to keep this American hero fed and safe from the coronavirus ever since.
“Between World War II, jumping out of a plane, getting captured, getting shot up…I think this is the least of his troubles,”said Caruso.
Ed lived through the Great Depression and went on to join the army. He still has the picture of meeting president Ike Eisenhower before parachuting into enemy territory during World War II.
“Nine hours later, I was standing on the shores of France. I jumped in at one o’clock in the morning,” said Manly.
During the war, Ed survived living in a Nazi prison camp.
“We did 12 men to a loaf of bread and two cigarettes a day,” said Manly.
He even survived being shot. How has he stayed so lucky?
“They couldn’t find a spot for me upstairs and they don’t want to send me downstairs, so I’m here,” said Manly.
The 98-year-old isn’t too worried about the coronavirus. He’s trying to keep dancing…
“You ladies taught me to dance. I’ve been in trouble ever since,” said Manly.
And smiling to make it through the pandemic. Representative Caruso says he’ll keep stopping by here once a week to make sure ed is taken care of.