by Aldo Svaldi

As he hunkered down in a foxhole at an English airbase, trying to escape German rockets buzzing overhead, George Brienza questioned whether he would get to see his wife and two daughters in Colorado again. On Saturday, Brienza celebrated his 100th birthday in the Arvada home of his niece, surrounded by family that had traveled from all over the country. "I was always scared. They bombed us 24 hours a day," recalled Brienza. "War is nothing but death and destruction."

But the experience also helped him learn to live life in a better way. "It taught me to love people, and to keep my nose clean," said Brienza. Among his rules for making it to 100 — don't smoke, don't drink, don't run around and keep family close.

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Source: http://www.denverpost.com/