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World War ii D-Day Veteran and TikTok star “Papa Jake”, 102 (1922-2025), to be honored at Normandy
WWII veteran, TikTok star “Papa Jake” Larson to be honored in Normandy
Families in Normandy, France, are getting ready to celebrate the life of “Papa Jake” Larson — a Minnesota native and war hero. He helped plan the D-Day invasion at Omaha Beach, and later became a TikTok sensation. He died at the age of 102.
A farm boy from Hope Township, Minnesota, “Papa Jake” lied about his age so he could join the National Guard at the age of 15, and he later found himself in World War II. He knew as much about typewriters as he did about guns, so with military leaders by his side, he helped type up the plans for D-Day. “Every person who landed on Omaha Beach on D-Day… came through these fingers,” said Papa Jake during a 2024 interview.
Later in life, he became a TikTok star. And at the age of 95, he began making yearly trips to Normandy. WCCO caught up with him last year in France, for the 80th anniversary of D-Day. “They treat me like a celebrity and I’m just a farm boy from Hope, Minnesota. It’s crazy. It’s plain crazy,” he said. But his real reason for the trips was to honor his fellow soldiers who never made it home. “They are my buddies. They’re up there right now,” he said. “They’re up there waiting for me.”
The beloved veteran often called himself “the luckiest man in the world.”
Born in Minnesota in 1922, Larson enlisted underage in the National Guard, later surviving German gunfire in Normandy in 1944. In his 90s, he began sharing stories of his time at war and experiences with fallen comrades, capturing millions of hearts on TikTok and making global headlines.
In an interview with the AP, Larson spoke about the horrors of war, urging world leaders to “make peace.” Just three weeks ago, he co-won an Emmy award with journalist Christiane Amanpour for their interview marking the 80th anniversary of D-Day.
Larson would often call himself “the luckiest man in the world.” Following the news, tributes to Papa Jake trickled in from across the United States. Towns in Normandy paid homage to the veteran too; Larson had made repeated trips to the region to commemorate D-Day. “I am so thankful to have shared my Papa Jake with you all,” Larson’s granddaughter continued. “You meant the world to him. As Papa would say, love you all the mostest.”
fter the war, Jake returned home to Minnesota, attended trade school, and married Lola—the woman who had clipped his photo from a local newspaper years before and carried it in her wallet. They raised a family and moved to California. In his later years, Jake chronicled his experiences in a memoir titled The Luckiest Man in the World, a name he lived up to. “I fought in six battles, saw men die all around me, and came out without a scratch,” he said. “I got a discharge before the war ended, met the love of my life, and lived to 100. How do you explain that?”
Jake’s legacy didn’t end with the war. In his 90s, he became a TikTok sensation thanks to his granddaughter, McKaela, who began recording his stories during the pandemic. Millions of followers came to know and love “Papa Jake” for his warmth, humor, and unshakable sense of gratitude. “I don’t believe in negativity anymore,” he said. “God, I am so fortunate. I’m just a farm boy from Hope, Minnesota. And I’m still here.”
The Luckiest Man in the World recounted not just his wartime experiences but also the miracles that followed. “A fall cured me of the shakes from PTSD,” he said. “An operation fixed my color blindness.” He counted his blessings in generations: “Nine grandchildren. Eleven great-grandchildren. I’ve even got a grandson who’s a grandfather.”
Larson’s stories weren’t about glorifying war but remembering sacrifice, love, and survival. He was a witness, a teacher, and a grandfather to the world. When asked the secret to longevity, he whispered, “Don’t die.” Then he smiled.
Larson died July 17 at the age of 102, according to his social media accounts, which are managed by his granddaughter McKaela Larson. “Please know, he went peacefully and was even cracking jokes till the very end,” she said in the post.
Larson’s internet fame started with the COVID-19 pandemic. Because of self-isolation efforts, McKaela, a cruise ship dancer, spent a great deal of her time in the family’s Martinez, Calif., home with her grandfather. That’s when she created his TikTok account, according to family members.
It became hugely popular. The TikTok account, @storytimewithpapajake, amassed more than 1 million followers and over 11 million likes. His large following meant Larson’s stories were shared worldwide. In addition to a massive online following, he recently won an Emmy for an interview about the anniversary of D-Day with CNN. Last July, he was invited on stage at a Zac Brown concert at the Oakland Coliseum. In November, he visited Disneyland for the first time, where he was named an “honorary citizen.”
The stories he told on the account ranged from the frightening to the hopeful. He recounted climbing off the ramp of the boat that dropped him off on Omaha Beach on June 6, 1944, and watching his fellow troops step in land mines while trying to avoid German machine-gun fire. “I was more afraid of stepping on a mine than I was of the gunfire coming at us,” he said in a 2022 post. In another TikTok post, Larson is asked for the best advice he ever received. “Don’t ever give up,” he said. “Always do the best you can in life.”
Out of the 16.4 million Americans who served in World War II, only 66,143 were still living as of 2024, according to the National WWII Museum. Family members described Larson as an infinitely compassionate and optimistic soul who was always “quick to tell you how much he loves you,” his granddaughter Krista Paulson said in an interview with The Times. “He made people feel like they were a part of his family,” Paulson said. “It’s crazy to just share him … to be able to say that he was ours, but so proud to know that everyone wanted to be a part of his life.”
“He wasn’t comfortable talking about it,” his grandson Mike Larson said. “Because, let’s be honest, back in his day, no one talked about PTSD. … Once he started opening up, I think it helped him.” Mike Larson said he believed his grandfather’s presence on TikTok allowed other veterans to accept that there is a life after their military service.
He recounted a time at Disneyland, when a man serving in the Marine Corps hovered around Jake and his family, who were preparing for a photo shoot. Mike Larson said he recognized that the man was in the service and offered to introduce him to his grandfather. After a hearty conversation, the man reached out his hand, and Larson immediately pulled him into a big hug. Mike said he saw tears streaming down the Marine’s face. “People don’t realize that, you never know what that guy was going through,” Mike said, breaking down in tears. “That one conversation could’ve saved that guy’s life.”
