NATIONAL TREASURE

D-Day Veteran-Turned-TikTok Star Dies at 102

The WWII veteran and viral star known as ‘Papa Jake’ has passed away.

The World War II veteran and TikTok sensation known as “Papa Jake,” real name Jake Larson, has passed away at the age of 102. “Our beloved Papa Jake has passed away on July 17 at 102 years young. Please know, he went peacefully and was even cracking jokes til the very end,” his granddaughter wrote in a post announcing his death. Larson, a D-Day veteran who was just 15 when he enlisted in the National Guard, gained a following of more than 1 million fans on his TikTok account, @storytimewithpapajake. Just three weeks ago, Larson celebrated an interview of his with CNN’s Christiane Amanpour, recorded on the 80th anniversary of D-Day, winning an Emmy. “I cannot believe I won an EMMY! WOW! Someone pinch me, I think I am dreaming. Thank you Christiane Amanpour for helping share my story to the world,” he wrote in a post celebrating the win.