A Texas veteran received a grand celebration in honor of his 95th birthday thanks to his community and family.
Staff Master Sergeant Julian Pablo Morales, born on Dec. 7, 1927, was surprised with a parade organized by the Lake Worth town mayor as well as his loved ones.
Esmeralda "LaLa" Morales, one of Morales' seven daughters, said she was looking for a new way to celebrate her father's birthday.
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"After all these birthdays, we kind of run out of ideas," LaLa Morales told Fox News Digital.
Along with the help of her youngest sister who lives in Hawaii, LaLa Morales went on a local Lake Worth Facebook page and asked people to share ideas and suggestions about how best to celebrate her father — a Korean War and Vietnam War veteran.
Before the sisters were able to come up with a plan, Lake Worth Mayor Walter Bowen reached out to the family — unbeknownst to Morales — and asked to take part in the festivities.
Bowen then contacted the local fire department, police department and news station asking them to also join in to salute the 95-year-old veteran.
"We have a very proud military community," Bowen told Fox News Digital in a statement.
"Anyone who has served or is serving, we want to celebrate them," he added.
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On Wednesday, Dec. 7, the local news station arrived at the Morales residence prior to the parade to interview Morales and his wife of 65 years, Anastasia Morales.
Morales put on his uniform for the camera before changing into his military patched jacket, LaLa said.
In the middle of the interview, LaLa told her father that "they had another surprise for him."
She then brought him outside. There, he was met with sirens, eight squad cars, three fire trucks and two ambulances in procession.
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"You shouldn't have to wait 'til the veterans die to celebrate them," LaLa said. "Why wait 'til they passed?"
She continued, "He was excited to be able to be alive to see this and appreciate it."
Julian Pablo Morals served in the military for 25 years.
He did a tour in Korea and three tours in Vietnam.
During his first tour in Korea, he took part in de-mining the DMZ zone, the neutral space between North and South Korea.
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That was where he was taken captive — and eventually tortured — before he escaped along with several other servicemen from different branches, LaLa said.
While serving in Vietnam, Morales flew and worked on helicopters. He was even one of the first to test the Chinook helicopter before the Army sent those models out to be used in Vietnam.
"Back then, when folks were coming home from Vietnam, they weren't welcomed. They were booed," LaLa added.
"People now appreciate our veterans because times have changed," she said. "They appreciate our military — and they should."
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Morales even had the opportunity to meet President Richard Nixon during the Nixon presidency and fly with him into Washington, LaLa said.
When asked for how she would describe her father in a few short words, LaLa replied, "He is humble, honorable, respectable and a family man who always puts his family first."
Morales has seven daughters, 15 grandchildren and 23 great-grandchildren.
"I was completely surprised. And I thank the City of Lake Worth for honoring me," Morales told Fox News Digital.
"I’m not a hero, I just served my country."
He added, "It was a very emotional day and I truly appreciate it,"
