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Heartwarming

WWII veteran gets birthday surprise

WWII veteran Eugene Passarella turns 99 on Monday, and in anticipation of the milestone, he was met with a special birthday surprise at Nay Aug Park on Sunday.

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SCRANTON, Pa. — A WWII veteran got an early birthday surprise in Lackawanna County.

Eugene Passarella led the Gene Dempsey Orchestra in a concert at Nay Aug Park in Scranton on Sunday, as he has for the past 76 years.

In honor of his 99 birthday on Monday, Jan Scruggs, the creator of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington D.C. surprised Passarella by leading the crowd in a pledge of allegiance as well as the singing of Happy Birthday.

From everyone at Newswatch 16, Happy Birthday, Eugene!

Newswatch 16's Jon Meyer spoke with Passarella on the 80th anniversary of D-Day back in June.

Watch the story on WNEP's YouTube channel: