Floresville veteran Antonio Carrizales wished for one thing for his birthday: To receive 100 birthday cards. Antonio is a United States Army veteran who served during World War II. He served in the army airforce from November 1942 to November 1945. Antionio was stationed with the 326th Army Air Forces Base in Tampa, where he worked as a crew chief on the B-17 Flying Fortress and the B-29 Superfortress. Antonio was awarded the Good Conduct Medal and the World War II Victory medal. Antonio turned 100 years old on September 25th, 2022, and the one present he really wanted was 100 birthday cards to celebrate his milestone birthday.

At Key West High School (KWHS), Ms.Simpson shared a video about Antonio and how he wanted nothing more than 100 birthday cards on his birthday, and she then instructed her students to sign a card to send off to Floresville. Ms.Simpson answered some questions about this experience and what it meant to her. 

How did you find out about the veteran and him wanting 100 cards? 

“On Fark.com, it was posted that a World War II veteran in Texas was having his 100th birthday, he was in a veterans hospital and the only thing he wanted was 100 birthday cards. And I thought my class could send him two birthday cards. So I printed up two cards with a little bunny on them, and my classes signed them and some student even wrote their own letter.” 

What made you want to write a card and be a part of this man’s birthday?  

“I wanted to be part of a good thing, and whatever I can do to make someone’s day brighter we need to do. What made you want to share this experience with your class? Because kindness starts with kids.” 

How does it make you feel knowing you got to be a part of Antonio’s birthday?

“Wonderful it made me feel wonderful, happiness is contagious.” 

Why was this something important or special to you? 

“It started last year with my senior class their project was to make the world a better place. They had to find a problem and find a solution. Their final pledge was to do something nice each day for the rest of their life. To do something kind each day. And that evolved into my movement of kindness.” 

Two students also shared how this whole experience made them feel. Mia Buergo shared how “It made me feel honored, he served in the army and made me feel privileged to make his birthday wish come true.” Mia also said that being a part of this experience made her feel “ happy because he is probably going to get more than 100 Cards and I got to be one.” Another student, Yvenson Noel, said that his teacher shared this with him “ It makes me feel very grateful that she shared this with us because without her I would have never known, and it really opened my eyes to see how much good people can do.” He also said that getting to be a part of this experience “makes me feel proud to see a veteran still enjoying his life, and the people around him recognizing him and his accomplishments. It felt good to make someone else feel appreciated.”