Greetings cards from across Canada and as far as Australia have been filling the mailbox of Donovan Nixon, a decorated Second World War veteran in Langford, wishing him a happy birthday and thanking him for his service. But the puzzled 102-year-old Langford resident has no idea who the global well-wishers are.

Unknown to the former bomber pilot, a close friend had posted an appeal on social media asking for people to bombard Nixon with cards for his birthday on Sept. 17 and for Remembrance Day. 

鈥淟ast Remembrance Day was not a good one for him, so this one I want to blow out of the sky,鈥� said Marlene Graham in her post. 鈥淛ust so he [knows] that what he did to help us will not be forgotten.鈥�

鈥淚t鈥檚 not very often we have the chance to say thank you to a Second World War serviceman. One lady said it nicely, 鈥楲est we forget, let鈥檚 not forget Don,鈥欌�� she adds.

After reaching out for help to celebrate Nixon, Graham says she was unsure if anyone would take notice of her plea. She needn鈥檛 have worried, as people responded in their droves.

鈥淢ay your day be full of warm and happy memories 鈥� thank you for your service and helping build our country,鈥� said Roy and Beverly Schuetz from Prince Albert, Sask., in their message to Nixon, a sentiment echoed in the piles of cards in the war hero鈥檚 home in the retirement community, Cherish at Central Park.

鈥淢ichael, one of my sons went down to pick up the mail 鈥� and there's mail from [as far as] Australia,鈥� says Nixon about the moment his son returned from his mailbox, arms full of cards, postcards and letters from around the globe. 鈥淢y son said, 鈥楧ad, what are you doing? Look at them all.鈥欌��

鈥淚鈥檓 blown away,鈥� said Graham about the response. 鈥淚 was so scared the cards weren't gonna come 鈥� this is more than I could ever dream.鈥�

Graham had hoped her part in the wave of cards to Nixon would remain a secret, but unfortunately her cover had already been blown by someone who had seen her post on Facebook.

鈥淚've got to answer all these,鈥� jokes Nixon. 鈥淏ecause of you,鈥� he adds smiling wryly at Graham. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e going to have to help me sort them all out.鈥�

The pair became close after Nixon befriended Graham鈥檚 aunt, 89-year-old Glenda Graham, who also lives in Cherish. In the time they have known each other, Nixon has regaled Graham and her aunt with stories about his time in the war. 

One story he shares often is about returning from a flight during the Second World War; a rattling noise could be heard in one of his bomber鈥檚 wing fuel tanks. When they took a look inside, they found an unexploded incendiary shell.

鈥淭here were times when I thought I'll never reach 18 years of age,鈥� says Nixon. 鈥淚 was very lucky.鈥�

鈥淪omebody out there said, 鈥楬ey, 102 is okay, but how you got there is another question,鈥� he jokes.