A Life of Courage

After surviving Auschwitz, Irma spent much of her time helping others by volunteering and dedicating herself to her community. Her new goal is to witness the opening of the Dallas Holocaust Museum.

Imagining living until the age of 100 may seem difficult to some. Imagine meeting your centennial birthday, remembering a life lived with tenacity, compassion and in dedication of service to others. For one special VNA Hospice patient, this has been her life.

At 102, Irma is the oldest living survivor of the Holocaust in the North Texas area. She recently shared her wisdom and her secrets to longevity with VNA. “I am blessed to have lived a long and healthy life,” says Irma. She describes her belief that life is about helping others. Dedicating herself to her community, she was involved in many volunteer efforts including delivering Meals on Wheels for 21 years! Sharing one of her greatest secrets to her healthy life: eating chopped liver for breakfast every morning. “It keeps me healthy!”

Remembering her harrowing story of survival at Auschwitz, marching to Bergen Belsen and suffering from typhus—Irma has lived all 102 of her years with courage and perseverance. These days, Irma has her sights set on a new goal: to witness the opening of the new Dallas Holocaust Museum where she will “stand up to Hitler again.”

Even in declining health, Irma is living her life to the fullest. That is what VNA Hospice Care is here to do for you and your loved ones. If you’d like to learn more about VNA Hospice, or how you can dedicate yourself to others like Irma, contact Chris Culak at culakc@vnatexas.org or (214) 689-2601. Thank you, Irma, for sharing your story and your kindness with VNA.