90-year-old TSA officer surprised with birthday party at airport
Staff at John Wayne Airport gathered this week to celebrate a veteran Transportation Security Administration officer as he turned 90 years old.
TSA officers, family members and friends threw a surprise birthday party for Lawrence Santucci, who is now believed to be the oldest TSA officer in the country.
"My heart feels so good right now," Santucci told Los Angeles ABC station KABC after the surprise.
Santucci first joined the Orange County, California, airport in 2008 and said he loves his job.
"I've met some wonderful people here that I'll never forget," he said.
As Kevin Gregory, one of his longtime coworkers, put it to KABC, "This is a man who is 90 years old and can probably outwork all of us."
Santucci, an Army veteran, said he still remembers the day he was offered his TSA job, a role that requires strength.
"You have to be able to carry weight, right? 60 pounds. So I went to Dick's Sporting Goods, I put two 60-pound [weights], I was walking around Dick's Sporting Goods, right, with these weights," he recounted.
Nearly two decades later, Santucci is still proudly serving air travelers and noted how he tries to impart a positive attitude to his younger colleagues.
"If you say, 'Good morning,' and they say, 'What's so good about it?' 'You're here, son.' Right? Or 'Miss, you're here.' Right? And, 'it's gonna be a beautiful day and you're gonna help people here.' And that's our job," he said.
Santucci's daughter Marie Pickard was on hand to celebrate her father's birthday.
"My dad is so special," she said. "He always puts people first and our country first before himself."
During his birthday speech, Santucci revealed his grandmother lived to 101, so his biggest ambition is to reach 102. Even though he's now 90, Santucci also said he doesn't plan on retiring anytime soon.
"What am I gonna do if I retire? Sit down?" he said.
