WELLINGTON, Colo.-
When Belen Luna of Welllington crossed the Mexican border with his brothers to seek work, Woodrow Wilson was president.
Today, 90 years later and on the day Mexico celebrates the Cinco de Mayo holiday, Luna celebrated his 104th birthday.
His daughter, Belen A. Luna, said he is still in the country on an immigrant work visa, and receives a pension from the Union Pacific Railroad.
She said he didn’t speak any English or go to school but got a job with the railroad. He and his late wife, Rosa, had 11 children and dozens of great-grandchildren.
Born in Chihuahua, he crossed the Texas border at age 13. He told the Fort Collins Coloradoan that he never went back to Mexico.
The elder Luna, who has hearing and vision problems, still likes to watch wrestling on TV. Otherwise his health has been good except for a mild heart attack that wasn’t even noticed until a doctor’s visit after it happened.
