Just before 10 a.m. Tuesday, Bessie Johnson, who has spent more than 80 years in D.C. and more than 60 years in the same Northeast row house in the Eckington neighborhood, walked out on to her front steps and took a seat.
Then, a small parade of sirens flipped on as members of D.C. police’s outreach team came by to celebrate the longtime city resident, in recognition of her recent milestone.
Saturday was Johnson’s 100th birthday. On Tuesday morning, members of the community she’s called home for decades felt the need to go above and beyond to show her love.
“I feel the same as I was 50 years ago. I don’t have any aches or pains,” Johnson said. “I thank the Lord for that.”
What’s her secret?
“Be nice. Look to the man above,” she said. “Do what your doctor tell you to do. Take your medicine. No alcohol. No smoking. And love everybody.”
Johnson’s granddaughter, Kimberly Hardison, said that’s Johnson’s living legacy.
“She teaches us to love and to treat everyone with respect, no matter where you’re from, your culture, your race,” Hardison said. “So we’ve learned that as a whole from her, to love everybody.”
Johnson has nine children, 27 grandchildren, 12 great grandchildren, and even seven great, great grandchildren, and many of them were there and on the street to celebrate with her.
“I love my family,” Johnson said. “They’ve been so nice to me. My grands, my great grands, I love them. They love me.”
It only took D.C. police’s Fifth District Community Outreach Team 10 minutes to organize Tuesday’s celebration and give a little bit of that love back.
“It’s a pleasure to be a part of this, this moment for her,” officer Arnita Hamilton said. “We all care. I have a huge team who will support — huge support team — so all I have to do is just let them know where we going to be and they’re ready.”
But the thing Hamilton seemed most impressed by was Johnson herself.
“She looks good,” said Hamilton. “I hope that I make it and be moving like that at 100.”