Last week, a 95-year-old woman received a special birthday surprise from the employees at a Chicago-area McDonald’s she’s been visiting for decades. Charmaine Blessman was honored with a birthday party at the restaurant complete with balloons, a custom cake featuring her photo, and her favorite two-hamburger meal with extra onions, along with fries and a drink.
Staff members came together to organize the celebration, with one employee baking the cake and others helping to create the festive atmosphere. Blessman’s daughter, Lee Antonio, who accompanied her to the restaurant, says the family has made it a tradition to bring her to the same McDonald’s location each year for her birthday, where employees know her as a longtime customer. This year, the staff added extra decorations and personal touches to make the occasion memorable.
Blessman says she was surprised by the celebration and knew something was up when she noticed everyone smiling at her as she arrived. The nonagenarian, who grew up in the Chicago area, says that she enjoys cooking and spending time with people, and she has a long-standing fondness for visiting McDonald’s.
Source: PEOPLE
Photo: TonyBaggett / iStock Editorial / Getty Images