(ABC 6 News) – A beautiful scene out of Zumbrota Saturday, as a World War II veteran and Prisoner of War celebrates his 100th birthday surrounded by family and friends.

It’s a major milestone for Ken Axelson, the beloved WWII veteran turns 100 years old on April 2nd, which was the same day he was freed from a German war camp back in 1945.

His daughter says, despite having gone through more struggle than most, he doesn’t let that stop him from living his life to the fullest.

“To this day I ask my dad why he doesn’t have PTSD or other memories that I’ve heard other veterans share; he said ‘I’ve never took it as poor me or why me,’ he just said ‘each day I took as an adventure, I just didn’t know what was going to happen,” said Jennifer Sanneman, youngest daughter to Ken Axelman.

With hundreds of people attending the birthday celebration throughout the day, Jennifer takes the time to reflect on her fondest memories with her father.

“I was afraid of the cuckoo clock. I’m 8-years-old, and when that cuckoo clock would go off it would scare the daylights out of me, so I’d run to him and hop on his lap,” said Sanneman.

Sanneman goes on to say, “he would just hold me until it stopped, and he says I think eventually you understood it was just a clock, but I think you just wanted to cuddle with me, so he just kept pretending.”

When asked, Ken says the beaches were calling out to him that day on June 6th, 1944, as he reflects on his time oversees, prior to being captured by German forces during the Battle of the Bulge.

Upon his arrival home to Wanamingo, MN in May of 1945, he says it was for the first time that he realized how important he was to the people of his hometown.

“He’s never been a victim, so many of us are victims or we feel that we’re victims and for him that’s not even a word that comes out of his mouth. He’s not even a survivor, he’s a conqueror,” said Sanneman.

In addition to community members and fellow veterans wishing Ken a happy birthday, he also got the chance to meet his great-granddaughter; both born nearly 100 years apart.