The Hollywood legend Dick Van Dyke celebrated his 100th birthday on Saturday, December 13. To mark the occasion, his beloved 54 year-old wife Arlene Silver spoke out to say that “he’ll live on forever.”
Van Dyke Turns 100
“He is a little slower, but I mean, man, he’s still got it!” Silver told People Magazine.
Silver went on to say that while Van Dyke is happy, he doesn’t seem to understand just how beloved he is by fans.
“I tell him all the time, but I still don’t think he understands,” she explained. “He’s like, ‘Oh. I’ve been around a long time.’ It’s beyond that. It’s not just that you’ve been around a long time. You’re in people’s blood. In people’s hearts and souls. How many people can say that? I got fan mail the other day, a 4-year-old who loves The Dick Van Dyke Show. It’s her favorite show. It’s so beautiful.”
Silver Learns From Van Dyke
Van Dyke and Silver have been married since 2012. During that time, she’s learned quite a bit from him despite their 46 year age gap.
“I guess he made me feel like you’re never too old to do anything,” she admitted. “Because people say, ‘Oh. I’m too old at 40,’ or something. It’s like my life kind of started at 40, my new life with him.”
Silver met Van Dyke back in 2006 at the SAG Awards. At the time, she was working the event as a makeup artist.
“I didn’t know a lot about him, and his fans told me, through the social media, what he means to them,” she recalled. Silver added that she “got to connect him with his fans that he never really did before, and that’s a whole, beautiful thing.”
“I just am grateful.” she confessed. “I’m honored to be his wife and take care of him, make him as happy as he deserves to be. I, in turn, get so many blessings and rewards, and it’s just crazy. I mean, to think that his 90th was 10 years ago and that was a big birthday, and he’s going to be 100. I’m just very grateful that he’s in good health.”
Van Dyke Speaks Out
During a recent interview of his own that was conducted at his home in Malibu, California, Van Dyke joked, “I’ve never met anyone else who was 100 so I don’t know how to act.”
“I think of how rare it is that a person gets to do for a living, what they love to do,” he continued. “Most people have to go sit in an office. I never forgot that I look forward to getting up every morning and going to work, because it’s what I would’ve done for nothing. It was such fun.”
Even though he just turned 100, Van Dyke might still have many years yet to come.
“He’s totally with it,” Silver concluded. “I just love that I’m part of this joyful movement.”
We applaud Van Dyke for showing the world that age really is just a number. We’d also like to wish him a happy belated birthday, and many more to come.
God bless you, Dick Van Dyke!