100-year-old World War II veteran with pancreatic cancer honored in Kannapolis

KANNAPOLIS, N.C. (WBTV) - A 100-year-old World War II veteran was honored in Kannapolis Sunday morning.

Family, friends and a community gathered to celebrate Staley Johnson Sr., who has stage 4 pancreatic cancer, at North Kannapolis Wesleyan Church.

North Carolina Congressman Ted Budd presented a proclamation and a flag to Johnson.

Johnson’s granddaughter Sherry Dixon says the honor is well-deserved.

“There is not a person that I can think of that can say an ugly-hateful word against him,” Dixon said. “He would give you anything he has and I just want to extend my love, my thoughts, my prayers to every single person that is here.”

Dixon added that at one point during the war, Johnson’s injuries were so severe that a letter was sent home saying he was expected to die.

However, Johnson recovered and later returned to his platoon.

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