ALICE, Texas — Anita Vela, a longtime Alice resident, nurse, and mother, turned 100 years old Monday, and the city made sure she knew just how much she means to the community.
Friends and family gathered at WellMed to celebrate the milestone, and when Vela walked through the door, she was surprised by the Ben Bolt Badger Mariachi Band, who played "Las Mañanitas" in her honor.
"It was a big surprise I thought they were just gonna give me a slice of cake," Vela said.
Vela spent her career as a nurse, dedicating her life to caring for others. But her family says her most important role has been as a loving mother and grandmother.
She is the matriarch of a sprawling family that includes 6 children, 25 grandchildren, 47 great-grandchildren, and 62 great-great-grandchildren. Many traveled from as far away as Michigan to wish her a happy birthday.
Alice Mayor Cynthia Carrasco presented Vela with a certificate honoring the milestone and thanked her for being a proud member of the Alice community and for the person she is.
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