100-year-old WWII veteran celebrates birthday by riding century-old Tilt-A-Whirl at Minnesota State Fair

There are a couple of major milestones at the State Fair this year.

The Tilt-A-Whirl turned 100 years old, and longtime fairgoer Bill Homan is also turning 100.

Monday morning, The World War II veteran and his family drove to the fair from Montevideo, just to go on his favorite ride. 

"I think the first time was in 1932," said Homan. 

Since the early 1930s, Homan has been making regular trips to the Great Minnesota Get-Together. But this time, the World War II veteran is on a mission. 

"I told my dad I was going to go on the Tilt-A-Whirl. And right away he said, 'I'm going with you.' And I said, 'Really? Okay,'" said Jeanna King, Homan's daughter. 

The county fair didn't have the Tilt-A-Whirl this year, so the State Fair is Homan's chance to ride the ride he's loved since he was a kid. The Tilt-A-Whirl was invented in Faribault in 1926 — the same year Bill was born. 

Homan has seven kids, 11 grandkids and 14 great grandkids, and most of them joined him on this quest. 

"It's the highlight of my life. My family," said Homan. 

He wants to show that age is just a number and his only wish is that his wife Barb could join him. The couple was married 80 years before Barb passed away this summer. 

 A couple minutes of tilting and whirling is exactly what Homan was looking for. And by the time it was done, Homan was ready for more. 

Homan said his second favorite ride is the Wild Thing at Valleyfair. 

He will celebrate his 100th birthday on Sunday at the Montevideo Veterans Home.