Elizabeth Sullivan Dr. Pepper

Elizabeth Sullivan Dr. Pepper

What’s the secret to living a long life? According one Dallas woman, it’s Dr. Pepper.

A 104 year-old woman is still celebrating life. “Well at 103 I didn’t think I’d make it, but I’m still perking along.”

Elizabeth Sullivan of Fort Worth says she doesn’t need the advice of real doctors. So she keeps another doctor close by.

“People try to give me coffee for breakfast. Well, I’d rather have a Dr. Pepper.” Sullivan fell in love with the soft drink’s trademark “23 flavors” when she was in her 60’s. “I started drinking them about 40 years ago. Three a day. Every doctor that sees me says they’ll kill you, but they die and I don’t. So there must be a mistake somewhere.”

One of Dr Pepper’s early slogans was “Drink a bite to eat at 10, 2 and 4,” to help prevent the low energy that some felt hit at 10:30 a.m., 2:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.

For her birthday she got a very big surprise. A beautiful cake shaped like what else, Dr. Pepper.

Commenting on her special day she said, “When you live to be 104 and still can talk to nice people, you deserve some Dr. Pepper, but I never expected this.”

She even got a gift basket straight from the CEO of Dr. Pepper Snapple Group, Larry Young.

The Huff Post adds:

The retired math teacher gets around with the help of a cane, but still lives in her Fort Worth home. Last year, after her 103rd birthday, Sullivan told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram that she thought people would want to die by the time they reached their 80s or 90s. Instead, she found herself having more fun than ever once she hit 90.

“Man I’m feeling good. I’m glad I’m still here. I’m glad I’m not in a rest home. Glad I can read books and watch TV and have people come by and say hello.”

She was asked if she has a secret for living past 100. She said she really doesn’t, other than, “you just keep living”.

For her 104th birthday, Sullivan received a Dr Pepper-shaped caked and a gift basket.

A Dr. Pepper Diet is something Twitter users can get behind.