Beloved 97-year-old veteran working at grocery store says he’s not retiring anytime soon
Retirement is not even on the radar for a 97-year-old man in New Jersey.
Bartholomew Ficeto is a World War II veteran who still works part-time at a grocery store in Edison.And he doesn't plan on stopping any time soon. In fact, he’s celebrating the time he spends at work.
He loves bragging to customers about his age and experience.
"You know, I'm getting old,” Ficeto says to people as he works.
That's the way he lives his life: with age as a fact and not as a factor. He enjoys passing the time at work bagging groceries two days a week.
Ficeto has been part of the Stop & Shop family for nearly 10 years. Recently his name was put on a star ledger, making him a local celebrity.
While he works hard every day to ensure customers can get in and out of the store quickly, it’s not the first time he’s put others first.
The veteran used to be a gunner in the Air Force on a F-86 fighter plane when he served during World War II.
"I was scared every time I had to get into the plane,” Ficeto said. “But the Lord took me back."
Now, he gets to see smiling faces every day and if you ask him how long he plans to work, he’s always straightforward.
"Until I drop dead,” he says.
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