PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — At 100 years old, Helen Kahan says she still feels good.
"First of all, I'm alive and I'm here," said Kahan.
For someone born in 1923, her pitching arm isn't too bad, either.
Some might call Kahn's survival a miracle because, as a young girl, the Nazis put her entire family in the Auschwitz concentration camp.
"I lost a lot of people that were my relatives, including my parents. My sisters, brothers, uncles, grandfathers, everybody was killed in the Holocaust," said Kahan.
Helen and two of her sisters worked in the concentration camps and survived.
But one sister died on the day they were liberated.
"Of course, it's hard for me. But I'm still happy that I'm here, and I can pray to god for them and for myself," said Kahan.
Helen returned to Romania after the war and eventually came to the United States.
Helen has lived in Seminole since 1986, building a family with two children, five grandchildren, and 12 great-grandchildren.
Throughout her life, she has shared her story with many, including students and visitors to the Florida Holocaust Museum.
That relationship led to her throwing out the first pitch at Friday's Rays-Yankees game.
"To have this honor for her, especially since the Holocaust Museum invited her to represent them tonight and to be part of history here," said Helen's daughter Livia Wein.
Helen, known to her family as Bubbi, is getting in a few more throws before her big moment Friday night.
She says she's not too old to enjoy a baseball game.
"I love to see the youngsters play. They are youngsters now for me. I'm really very excited to go there." said Kahan.
