'It's my sweet sixteen': Wake Forest nursing home throws 107th birthday party for resident

Eva Arrington has lived a good, long life. She was born 107 years ago, on Aug. 3, 1915.

Even though the world around Arrington has changed, she hasn't. She's always been compassionate and loving toward the people around her, according to nursing home staff at Hillside Nursing & Rehab in Wake Forest.

Arrington grew up in South Carolina and moved to Louisburg, where she met the love of her life, Mack. They started a family, and gave birth to their only son, Willie. He had four children, and those grandchildren had seven children, making Eva a great-grandmother.

For most of her life, Arrington worked at Plantation Inn in Raleigh, according to the activities department at Hillside Nursing & Rehab. She also worked as a teacher for the South Carolina public school system before moving to North Carolina.

"Eva has a love for people and expressed her love by baking and sewing and making nice things for her family and the people around her," a spokesperson for the activities department said. "She was known in the community as a woman that loved to help and give."

Arrington is the longest-serving member of Olive Branch Baptist Church in Wake Forest, where she used to sing in the choir.

She's been a resident at Hillside Nursing & Rehab since 2007.

Her favorite color is purple, and she loves dressing up and wearing nice jewelry, the rehab center said.

The spokesperson for the activities department, who has worked at the nursing home for 14 years, said Arrington is only the second resident to make it to 107 years old.

When the nursing home staff asked her if she knew what age she was turning Wednesday, she said, "It's my sweet sixteen!"