Sam Avolicino is an American hero and World War II veteran who took some time to talk about his life as a 103-year-old and share some wisdom to younger people. When a person of that age, who has seen so much, offers advice, it is never a waste of time to tune in and see what they have to say. Avolicino lived an action-packed life and brought decades of life lessons to the table.

One thing that is often asked of centenarians, people who live to be 100 or more years old, is what diet tips they have for folks who seek more longevity. Avolicino tackled that question right away, jumping directly to his favorite meal when interviewed by Fox News Digital.

He kicked the interview off on a jovial note, saying, “I’m Italian, so pasta is the first thing that comes to my mind. I enjoyed my mother’s food for so long. As a kid, I grew up with good, homemade pasta and the Italian custom was you drank a little wine with water because it’s good for the blood. So, maybe that’s an excuse, but it’s OK.”

Avolicino arrived on the European front later on in the war, seeing no combat action, but that does not mean that he left without stories. He found himself working in the Nuremberg Opera House, entertaining troops alongside the likes of Mickey Rooney and Bob Hope. He said, “I landed in France one day before the war was over. So I got reassigned to special services and my CEO assigned me to the Nuremberg (Nürnberg) Opera House to entertain the troops while we waited to be shipped home.”

He even has stories of collaborating with the Germans to use the theater to entertain both the English-speaking and German-speaking folks in the area. He said, “I made arrangements with the Germans to have the theater on Wednesday afternoons to put on anything they wanted to play. Then they would present the same thing to the GIs if they wanted to see the opera or the ballet and things like that.”

Speaking about his father, both John and Steve Avolicino spoke highly of the man that raised them and the man that he is now in his later years. They say that Sam has not let his age stop him from enjoying life, adding that he stays active in the community and with hobbies to occupy his time and keep his mind fresh.

John said, “He just loves life and he loves living, That’s always stood out for me. He enjoys every day. Right now, he’s in three different football pools and he’s on the computer all the time. His newest thing now is he makes his own [greeting] cards with his own sayings.”

Additionally, during an interview with NBC Bay Area, Mr. Avolicino said that the secret to happiness is having “Wine, good pasta and no stress, and a good wife.” Watch him talk about that here:

It is imperative to hear what men like Sam Avolicino have to say at the ripe age of 103. What many consider to be America’s greatest generation is on its last legs, and this is our opportunity to immortalize and remember the lessons and rules that they lived by so that we may bring our generation to their level of greatness.