Phil Terranova

When I started digging into Phil Terranova's past, I had to do a double take. I mean, the guy looks great for his age—remarkable, even, considering he was born in 1919. In fact, his obituary, published in March of 2000, reported that he had left this world two decades ago. But apparently, rumors of Phil’s demise were greatly exaggerated. Today, he’s living proof that you can’t believe everything you read in the news—and that you can take a punch from time and still get back up, sprightly as ever.

 Phil's survival skills aren't just limited to cheating death, though. Take his love life, for example. Around Thanksgiving a few years ago, he met Lauren, a lovely woman who, at the time, was involved with someone else. But Phil knows a thing or two about patience, so he played the long game. And sure enough, five months later, he and Lauren were together, the former beau nowhere to be seen.

 

 Now, 17 years and three kids later, Phil and Lauren are still going strong. One might say his ability to survive in love is as remarkable as his ability to survive life, proving that even if you've been counted out, you can always pull off a comeback, whether it's from a premature obituary or a bumpy dating history. And through it all, Phil's resilience continues to be a testament to the power of patience—and a good sense of humor.