Joseph Manjikian celebrated his 104th birthday at the Pasadena Highlands with over one hundred people in attendance including family, friends, and community leaders, Asbarez reported.

Congresswoman Judy Chu (CA-27) presented Mr. Manjikian with a Certificate of Congressional Recognition honoring his life. City of Sierra Madre Mayor John Harabedian, Armenian National Committee of America board members Raffi Hamparian and Raffi Kassabian, ANCA-Western Region Government Affairs Director Tereza Yerimyan, Armenian Bar Association President Garo Ghazarian and Kessab Education Association President Esther Tognozzi were also in attendance.

“My father is the richest man from Kessab,” said Dr Haig Manjikian, son of Joseph Manjikian. “Having survived the Armenian Genocide of 1915 and suffering the loss of family and close friends, he understands that the real wealth in life lies in the ability to cherish and appreciate time spent with family, friends, and community.”

Joseph Manjikian was born May 9th, 1910 in Kessab, Syria, at that time a part of the Ottoman Turkish Empire. During the Armenian Genocide, his father was conscripted into the Ottoman Army only to be murdered along with fellow Armenians. The villagers were forced into exile, marched into the desserts of Der Zor, along with countless other Armenians from the region. He was able to survive by eating weeds his mother collected along the way. By good fortune, survivors from Kessab were able to go back to their village, as it became part of Syria after World War One.