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Act your age: Local leapers celebrate their ‘real’ birthday

LEAP YEAR. The odds of being born on Leap Day are about one in 1,461. The paper reached out to local “leapers” – those born on Feb. 29 – to discuss birthday candles and how to “act your age.”

| 26 Feb 2024 | 02:27
    Act your age: Local leapers celebrate their ‘real’ birthday

Andrew Burns is celebrating his sixth birthday.

$!Andrew said friends were always confused about his birthday growing up.“I remember turning one in preschool, and everyone was very confused why it said one and not four on the birthday cake,” said the 24-year-old Goshen, N.Y. resident.
Andrew said friends were always confused about his birthday growing up.“I remember turning one in preschool, and everyone was very confused why it said one and not four on the birthday cake,” said the 24-year-old Goshen, N.Y. resident.

Jack Haslam is celebrating his eighth birthday.

$!32-year-old Goshen, N.Y. resident Jack Haslam will be snowboarding Mount Killington in Vermont to celebrate his rare birthday. “The 29th is a fun one,” he said. “I think I’ve only met one other person who has the same birthday as me.”
32-year-old Goshen, N.Y. resident Jack Haslam will be snowboarding Mount Killington in Vermont to celebrate his rare birthday. “The 29th is a fun one,” he said. “I think I’ve only met one other person who has the same birthday as me.”

Sarah is celebrating her seventh birthday.

$!When it isn’t a leap year, Sarah usually likes to celebrate her birthday March 1. “It’s funny because social media (Facebook) usually defaults to the 28th,” said the 28-year-old Matamoras, Pa. resident. “When I was a kid getting my license, the state defaulted to the 28th, and then they made me come back the next day to pick up my license because I wasn’t technically born on the 28th,” she laughed.
When it isn’t a leap year, Sarah usually likes to celebrate her birthday March 1. “It’s funny because social media (Facebook) usually defaults to the 28th,” said the 28-year-old Matamoras, Pa. resident. “When I was a kid getting my license, the state defaulted to the 28th, and then they made me come back the next day to pick up my license because I wasn’t technically born on the 28th,” she laughed.

Brenda Schultz is celebrating her 14th birthday.

$!“The best thing is that I don’t get older,” joked the Pine Island, N.Y. resident. Pictured is a clip from the <i>Times Herald Record</i> of Brenda and her parents 56 years ago, when she was one day old.
“The best thing is that I don’t get older,” joked the Pine Island, N.Y. resident. Pictured is a clip from the Times Herald Record of Brenda and her parents 56 years ago, when she was one day old.

Kim Burse is celebrating her 14th birthday.

$!“I remember going for my driver’s license Feb. 28, and the system would not give me the driver’s license because it was the day before my birthday,” she said. The 56-year-old Sussex, N.J. resident joked that her kids are now older than her. “My youngest daughter and I both turned eleven in 2012!”
“I remember going for my driver’s license Feb. 28, and the system would not give me the driver’s license because it was the day before my birthday,” she said. The 56-year-old Sussex, N.J. resident joked that her kids are now older than her. “My youngest daughter and I both turned eleven in 2012!”

Julie Figiel is celebrating her 14th birthday.

$!The 56-year old Sparta, N.J. resident said the best thing about being a Leap Day baby is feeling a little more youthful. When she celebrates on a normal year schedule, Julie said she likes to mark the occasion the day before. “I lean towards Feb. 28. The reason is my grandmother’s birthday is Feb. 28 and I never got to meet her, so I feel like it keeps me connected with her.”
The 56-year old Sparta, N.J. resident said the best thing about being a Leap Day baby is feeling a little more youthful. When she celebrates on a normal year schedule, Julie said she likes to mark the occasion the day before. “I lean towards Feb. 28. The reason is my grandmother’s birthday is Feb. 28 and I never got to meet her, so I feel like it keeps me connected with her.”

David Hazzard is celebrating his 15th birthday.

$!As a kid, David always felt like his birthday would never come. But he grew to like being a leap year baby: “When I was horsing around with my kids, my wife would come to yell at us and say ‘Would you act your age?’ I would say ‘I am!” The 60-year-old Goshen, N.Y. resident usually celebrates his birthday on the Feb. 28 or March 1, whichever day is closer to the weekend.
As a kid, David always felt like his birthday would never come. But he grew to like being a leap year baby: “When I was horsing around with my kids, my wife would come to yell at us and say ‘Would you act your age?’ I would say ‘I am!” The 60-year-old Goshen, N.Y. resident usually celebrates his birthday on the Feb. 28 or March 1, whichever day is closer to the weekend.

Mark and Emily Fagerston are celebrating their third birthday.

$!The odds of having twins on Leap Day? One in 50,000. Twelve-year-old Sparta, N.J. middleschoolers Emily and Mark will celebrate their third ‘real’ birthday this year. Fun fact: their Pop-Pop is also a leap year baby.
The odds of having twins on Leap Day? One in 50,000. Twelve-year-old Sparta, N.J. middleschoolers Emily and Mark will celebrate their third ‘real’ birthday this year. Fun fact: their Pop-Pop is also a leap year baby.

Quentin Adams is celebrating his fourth birthday.

$!Quentin’s last ‘real’ birthday occurred right before COVID-19 hit. The 16-year-old Fredon, N.J. student joked that the worst thing about being a leaper is “people saying ‘Haha you’re turning four!’”
Quentin’s last ‘real’ birthday occurred right before COVID-19 hit. The 16-year-old Fredon, N.J. student joked that the worst thing about being a leaper is “people saying ‘Haha you’re turning four!’”