Nearly 105-year-old Baton Rouge woman gets second dose of COVID-19 vaccine

BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) - Julia ‘Hurricane’ Hawkins just happens to be 104 years young now, and just so happens to be a record-setting runner.

On Friday, January 29, she took a step to stay around a lot longer.

Hawkins was born in 1916, Woodrow Wilson was president back then.

She’s lived through the polio pandemic and the Spanish flu.

And she’s hopeful that this second dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, can help reunite her with some of her family members, that she hasn’t seen in almost a year.

“I’ll be 105 in a few days,” said Julia Hawkins.

“That’s a blessing,” said a nurse at Our Lady of the Lake.

As she strolled through the hospital and into her seat, Julia Hawkins was dressed in red, with her signature flower right above her ear. Right before she got her second dose of that potentially lifesaving COVID vaccine.

OLOL Nurse: “1, 2, and 3.”

Hawkins. “You are good.”

Nurse: “Thank you.”

Hawkins: “Really good.”

Nurse: “And you are all taken care of.”

Hawkins: “Thank you, honey.

Nurse: “Happy birthday to you.”

“It’s a magic moment when you do it, and you’ve got to be on the team,” said Hawkins.

But this probably isn’t the first time you’ve heard of Mrs. ‘Hurricane’ Hawkins.

If you remember, she holds the world record in the 100-meter dash for the 100 and over age group. Click here to see the story.

But besides running, spending time in her backyard is her passion.

“I have bonsai trees I’ve been doing for 50 years. I have a yard that’s gorgeous, been living in it 70 years. I have 75 different species of trees on our yard, and they’re all labeled,” said Hawkins.

The mother of 4, has 3 grandchildren, and 2 great-grandchildren. And like any mother, she is looking forward to spending time together with her family, once all this Covid mess is over.

“Oh, we have wonderful times, reminiscing on old times. Getting together to play games and things, our family always had a game we would play in the yard, wonderful games,” said Hawkins.

She says she’s lived a long and blessed life, but one age goal is a reach...

“This vaccine means you’re going to live until 200, right?” questioned Lester Duhe’.

“I hope not, I don’t want to live that long,” said Hawkins.

And she’s not quite done yet...

“I feel like I’ve been lucky about everything, and I hope we can get over this soon. This is so important, just do it, do it now, everybody get your shots,” said Hawkins.

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