WALKER, Mich.– At 101 years old, a Michigan man says his secret to a long life is keeping busy and even hopping on a jet ski once in a while.
Bill Knottnerus, who says he’s proud of his age, was seen cruising around Whitefish Lake this Fourth of July.
“I loved it out there, oh yeah. My son says ‘Now don’t go too far away,'” Knottnerus tells WXMI. “I just pushed the old button and away we went.”
The centenarian says the last time he was on a jet ski was when he was 99 years old, and he was excited to get back out on the water this year.
“It’s a fun thing because they go so fast and you push that little lever and it goes ‘pffftttt’ and I got pictures of me taking up on my jet ski when I was 99 then I got some more … on my last birthday,” Knottnerus says.
Knottnerus has done a lot in his long life. He served four years in the Army during World War II and was married to his wife Sophina for over 60 years. They had four children, eight grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren.
He says he’s still saying active by keeping his mind and body busy.
“Age is just a number, just do things,” Knottnerus says.
Knottnerus says he hopes to get on a jet ski again one day.
