LONG ISLAND, NY (WPIX) – Geraldine “Jerry” Leo is a living example that age is just a number.
Leo is the pride of Bay Shore’s Great South Bay YMCA. She turned 100 this past April, but she says she doesn’t feel it. And she shows no signs of slowing down.
Other members of the aerobics fitness class, half Leo’s age, watch in envy as the great-grandmother goes through her daily paces. She’s been crushing her workouts since the Y opened 34 years ago. It’s her elixir of life.
She explains, “The only thing I do is exercise faithfully. I don’t eat red meat, have a good diet, Mediterranean, they call it.”
The Y’s Health and Wellness Director Despina Tenedorio is in awe of her centenarian gymnast.
“She’s got a great spirit. We call her the President of the YMCA. She is religious with her workout. She doesn’t give up. She tries even harder and she pushes herself.”
The fitness fanatic is particularly fond of doing planks, an abdominal exercise younger gym members can hold for only two to three minutes, but not Leo. She got up after five minutes to the applause and cheers of fellow gymnasts.
Janice Capetta watched in disbelief, declaring, “I’m a lot younger than her and I can’t do that.” Neither could Joel Radding, who said, “It goes to show you what exercise can do for your health. There are exercises she does that I can’t do. She really has inspired me.”
At 100, Leo just renewed her driver’s license. She says she never smoked but does have an occasional drink, an Aperol spritz.
Fellow gymnast Pat Mooney proclaimed, “I want to be like Jerry when I grow up and she says no, no, no. Look at her. Wouldn’t you like to be 100 and look like her?”
With two daughters in their 70s, Leo has three grandchildren and one great-grandchild. Her advice to live a long life is to exercise religiously, maintain a good diet, and be kind, happy, and fearless.
“I feel great, haven’t had any aches and pains,” she maintains, adding, “How lucky I am and I don’t take it for granted.”
