HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – She's lived through two world wars, the Great Depression and the advent of television and the Internet. She's Hallandale Beach resident Mazie Ford, and for her 109th birthday, she wanted to reach the stars.
The great-great-grandmother of three hoped for the chance to meet "Dancing with the Stars" performers Derek Hough and Julianne Hough. As part of their "Move Live on Tour," the Utah-bred siblings were scheduled to make a stop in South Florida just days before Ford's birthday.
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With the help of Marla Oxenhandler, associate director of public affairs at Nova Southeastern University, and the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Local 10 News played matchmaker and succeeded.
Ford, accompanied by her daughter, Johann Levinson, met the dancing duo, took pictures and shared a brief conversation.
"I was very excited," remarked Ford. "I've been watching them since the program started and I felt as though I knew them."
"They were very sweet and gracious," she added.
Ford spends her time volunteering at a local hospital, where she knits hats for newborns. Her secret to a happy and youthful life: "Live every day as it is."
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