John "A-Tzo" Ding: Almost 98 Years Old

By KEVIN DING

We were able to coordinate all the schedules enough to visit my grandfather, John Ding, together with my sister's family and my parents after he had a pacemaker put in (though it was subsequently removed because of bacteria-related complications). He is almost 98 years old, and in one of the recent email exchanges with my cousins, I wrote simply about him: "What a stud!" If you're looking for secrets to his long-lasting success, he has always maintained a cheerful demeanor and voracious appetite. I remember him back in the day consistently performing tai chi movements, which have reported health benefits, and these days he still engages in the mental challenge of mahjong.

Here are some photos from the visit, which also featured playful interaction between Sedona and Maven and their cousins Atticus and Skyler. The kids call their great-grandfather "A-Tzo" -- the Taiwanese term.