See what “hot grandpa” looks like now after his military photo has goes viral
In 2020, Reddit, like all social platforms, saw an increase in traffic.
People were looking for ways to entertain themselves during the lockdowns. And the previous post and reminiscing about old photos were already popular.
Derek Schwendeman had no idea what he was getting himself into when he shared a picture of his grandfather on Reddit.
His grandfather’s photo has since gone viral with Reddit users commenting on how attractive he is.
A soldier’s photograph goes viral.
The image is simple enough: a black-and-white photograph of a young man dressed in military uniform.
The man in the photo is 86-year-old Thomas, who was preparing to deploy to Korea.
Thomas’s bright smile and rugged good looks are what catch the eye.
The image quickly went viral, with over three million views and a slew of positive comments. Some people on Reddit compared him to Tom Cruise, while others compared him to Gary Busey and Jay Bilas.
Some have even dubbed him “Hot Grandpa.”
Derek’s grandfather was taken aback by how enthusiastic everyone is about his 1952 photograph.
Derek’s grandmother, Fleecie Schwendeman, has had the most fun with Thomas’ Internet fame.
“My grandmother says since they married young, he didn’t have much of a chance to ‘sow his wild oats.’
She told me that he has ‘women fussing over him all of the time, but she got him first.’” Derek told People.
Fleecie and Thomas tied the knot.
The couple, who now live in Pennsylvania, began their life together with an engagement in 1951, just as Thomas was about to leave for basic training.
Later that year, after Thomas completed his training, the couple married.
While living in an apartment in Texas, Thomas received orders to deploy to Korea. Thomas took a job with the Bell Telephone Company after returning from his one-year mission.
He retired after 30 years and became a bus driver before retiring completely in the mid-1990s.
Thomas is a wonderful husband and father.
“My grandfather is, and always was, a very hard-working man, and he passed that work ethic onto both my father and me,” Derek shared.
The couple has been married for nearly 65 years and has seen a lot in that time.
His grandfather is a man who is deeply committed to both his life and his marriage.
This dedication has been passed down to their children and grandchildren.
His grandchildren are close-knit; they all live nearby and visit frequently. Thomas would not change anything about his life.
Derek remembers his grandmother asking Thomas if he would have changed his life if he had known how appealing he was to so many people.
Naturally, his response was a resounding “no.”
“He was always loyal and has taken very good care of me,” Fleecie told her grandson.
Spending time with your grandparents is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Through their incredible stories, you were able to learn about their lives.
Watch the video below from Inside Edition to know more about this “Hot Grandpa!”
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Sources: Reddit – Togakure, YouTube – Inside Edition, People, Social Media Today