Veteran goes viral: Liverpool vet’s birthday parade gets 6 million TikTok views

LIVERPOOL — Debbie Magaro-Dolan wanted to make her father’s 100th birthday special, but she had no idea her dad’s celebration would ultimately reach more than six million sets of eyes.

Dan Magaro, a World War II veteran who served in England and France, turned 100 on May 14. In the days leading up to his birthday, Magaro-Dolan put out a call on Facebook for friends, family and neighbors to participate in a drive-by parade in Magaro’s neighborhood of Clairmont Park in Liverpool on May 15.

Over 20 cars paraded past Magaro’s home, their occupants honking and waving. A local Jeep club sent Vietnam War-era vehicles and the Moyers Corners Fire Department sent a truck as well.

Caroline Hobin, who lives next door to the Magaros, posted a video of the parade on the popular social media app TikTok. Her fiancé, Casey Goode, is in the Air Force, and he and his best friend wore their military uniforms to salute Magaro.

The video became an overnight TikTok sensation.

“It was basically instantly,” Hobin said. “I posted it that night around 10 or 11 p.m. When I woke up, there was close to a million views.”

Now, Hobin’s video has been viewed more than six million times.

Dan Magaro, of Liverpool, served in England and France during World War II.

Over 20 cars paraded past Dan Magaro’s home to wish him a happy 100th birthday, their occupants honking and waving.

Dan Magaro, of Liverpool, recently turned 100 years old. A neighbor’s TikTok video of his birthday parade has gained more than six million views. Dan and Antoinette Magaro are shown here with two of their neighbors.

The parade, Hobin and Magaro-Dolan said, was a much-needed bright spot after a dark year of life in the pandemic.

“It was just so special,” Magaro-Dolan said. “It was great to have people come out and celebrate him.”

“Everybody liked the restoring of humanity aspect,” Hobin said of the response to the video. “It was nice to see something positive.”

Magaro-Dolan said her father has dementia.

“But that night, he just seemed very alert and aware of what was going on,” she said.

In addition to the parade, Magaro-Dolan presented her dad with a cake in the shape of the number 100 and a flag secured from Congressman John Katko’s office.

“He also received a flag that I requested through John Katko’s office that was flown over the U.S. Capitol building in honor of his hundredth birthday,” Magaro-Dolan said.

To view Hobin’s video of Dan Magaro’s birthday parade, visit tiktok.com/@caroline_hobin.