GREAT FALLS, Mont. -- Walter Breuning didn't get blubbery about it, but the world's oldest living man appeared touched by two honors presented to him Thursday by railroad officials in Great Falls, the Great Falls Tribune reports.
Breuning usually is nonchalant about his status as the oldest male. For instance, he said his 113th birthday on Sept. 21 "is going to be another day."
However, Breuning softened his usual stance after the railroad presentations.
"I suppose it's quite an honor to be the oldest person," he said.
Three BNSF Railway officials started the day off with a flourish Thursday at the assisted-living facility where Breuning lives, the Rainbow Retirement Community. On hand were John O. Ambler, president of the BNSF Foundation; Patrick Hiatt, general director of corporate communications for the company; and Gus Melonas, Seattle based-regional director of public affairs for BNSF.
"He's just such an inspiration," Melonas said of Breuning.
With help from a video, the officials told Breuning that the railroad's chief executive, Matt Rose, and Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer dedicated a railroad siding near Broadview to him on Wednesday. They gave Breuning two signs reading "Walter," similar to the sign already unveiled next to railroad tracks in eastern Montana.
Breuning appeared pleased by the sign, but his strongest reaction came from Ambler's presentation of a $50,000 check the BNSF Foundation donated in his honor to local Shriner Clubs.
"Well, thank you," said Breuning, a longtime Shriner. "Thank you very much. I think they can really use that."
Breuning then related how he recently received a note from a Townsend woman who had gone to the Shriners Children's Hospital in Spokane three times for surgeries to repair disabilities she encountered at birth.
"She's got her own home," Breuning said. "She's got children of her own. She still thanks the Shriners. Thousands and thousands of little children have been cured at these hospitals."
Before the presentations, Ambler said the check would probably be a big surprise to Breuning.
"He thinks the railroad's so cheap, we'll never do anything," Ambrose joked.
When a video team began interviewing Breuning for a BNSF in-house video, his wit and freewheeling opinions shined through.
"This is the first time I remember the railroad ever giving any money to anything," Breuning said.
Showing Breuning's new-found celebrity, Ambler said it's hard to impress his 13-year-old daughter, Juliette, but meeting the world's oldest man did the trick.
"When she found out I was going to meet Walter Breuning, she was really excited," Ambler said. Breuning later signed an autographed photograph for the Texas teen.
Railroad officials and Breuning, who worked for the Great Northern Railway for 50 years, spent a good slice of the morning talking about the old days of railroads. GN later became part of Burlington Northern Railroad, now BNSF.
Hiatt, who is retiring today, asked Breuning what his favorite train was in his career.
"Best train?" Breuning asked. "The Empire Builder, of course."
That's the passenger train that still runs across northern Montana, although now it's owned by Amtrak.
PBreuning told the officials he liked working for the Great Northern as a clerk for half a century, even if in the early days that meant working 12 hours a day, seven days a week.
"Years ago, everybody liked to work," Breuning said.
(The preceding article by Richard Ecke was published September 4, 2009, by the Great Fall Tribune.)
