ROCHESTER, N.Y. — A 104-year-old woman at Edna Tina Wilson Living Center received a special present Thursday.

Rita Hirschler, who was alive during the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic, was vaccinated against the coronavirus, a day before her 104th birthday.

"She just kept repeating, happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me. So we said why is this so important and she said ‘you have to take care of yourself, and I take care of myself and that's why I'm 104’ and then she kept repeating happy birthday to me. So that's a pretty awesome gift," said Lisa Richards of the Edna Tina Wilson Living Center.

Spectrum News spoke with her granddaughter, Sandra, as she sat with Rita's great-grandchildren.

She said it's been a long time, but the vaccine is going to finally allow her to spend quality time with her grandmother again.

"It's very hard, very hard, and she always blows kisses during video chats as well. So I can't wait to just hug her as big as I can without hurting her because she is so frail these days. So it will be nice to have that physical touch," said Rita's youngest grandchild, Sandra Whitcomb.