98‑Year‑Old Veteran Becomes an Internet Star

When you think of a social‑media sensation, a teenager with a flashy phone probably comes to mind, not a man who first signed up for the Navy at fifteen. Yet that’s exactly the story of Ross Longo, a 98‑year‑old veteran whose everyday moments have turned into millions of views.

Longo lives in Lake Placid, Florida, where he’s been a neighbor of Sevastian Munguia‑Barajas for more than two decades. The younger man’s family took the veteran under their wing after his own relatives drifted away. “They adopted me, and I adopted them,” Longo says, smiling. And Sevastian, who thinks of the veteran as his own grandfather, agrees, “I consider him my grandpa, honestly.”

It was Sevastian’s decision to document their simple, honest friendship that sparked the frenzy. He opened a TikTok and Instagram account called @your98yearoldvet, posting a clip of a routine trip to the grocery store. Within hours, the video ballooned to a million views. The comment sections overflowed with gratitude, jokes, and, most of all, admiration for a man who’d served in both World War II and the Korean War.

The feed now reads like a scrapbook of small‑scale adventures: Ross dishing out life advice over a bowl of Taco Bell, a spontaneous stop at Wendy’s, an impromptu visit to a fellow Vietnam vet battling cancer, and even a birthday cake delivery to a lonely veteran in Highlands County. Their followers, about 15,000 strong, have turned the duo into a grassroots support network, often donating meals or supplies to other aging servicemembers.

Longo’s military past is as colorful as the social‑media clips. Born to Italian immigrants in Connecticut and raised in St. Louis, he falsified his age to join the Navy in 1943—he was only fifteen, two years shy of the legal limit. “They never asked any questions; they just took me,” he recalls. The Navy became his home for six and a half years, a decision inspired by an older brother who had already enlisted.

He saw action in Europe during World War II and later in the Korean Peninsula. The most harrowing episode, according to Sevastian, happened in Korea when a stray landing‑craft mishap sent Longo into a bomb crater, crushing eight ribs. He was rescued, patched up, and sent home, but the scars—both physical and emotional—stayed with him.

After the war, Longo tried his hand at a few trades: truck driving, carpentry, and even a stint as a country‑music singer. One night, a local bar was looking for a vocalist; the only song he knew was Hank Williams’s “Your Cheatin’ Heart.” He sang a few bars, the owner stopped him, and offered a $340‑a‑week gig—more than triple his dump‑truck earnings at the time.

Today, Longo lives on a modest pension and Social Security check. The funds don’t stretch far enough for the care he needs, so Sevastian set up a GoFundMe page that’s already collected over $31,000. The donations cover in‑home caregivers, groceries, and even a few splurges—like a brand new recliner and a motorized scooter that Longo uses to zip around the neighborhood.

Fans from Australia to Hawaii have mailed in letters, gift cards, and care packages. Brands such as Omaha Steaks, Crocs, Stouffer’s, and Gatorade have sent goodies that Longo proudly displays each week. “Every week we go to the mailbox and he lights up,” Sevastian says. “He’s shocked—people from all over the world are thanking him for his service and wishing him blessings.”

What started as a casual video of a breakfast run has turned into a digital tribute to a man who’s given so much to his country. In a world where fame often feels fleeting, Ross Longo’s story reminds us that genuine kindness, shared across generations, can still capture the imagination of millions.