By Ahsan

You know how you put off doing things around the house for days and months, and then you say to yourself, "man, I got to put those pictures up on the wall, and grease the garage doors, clean up that closet and get those bikes fixed up." Well just last week, I started on my list and started with the bikes.

I had bought a couple bikes from a fellow who worked out of his home a few years ago and decided to call on him again. To my good fortune, he called me back and said that he had moved and was still fixing bikes. I called my buddy to join me, and the two of us loaded our bikes that needed a tune-up. And so, off we went on a 30-minute trek.

So far, you may be thinking that my story is moving slowly and that there is nothing unusual to share. You would be wrong because what you don't know is that Angelo the Bicycle Mechanic is 82 years young and he started his vocation at age 60 after spending over 20 years in the Pizza Restaurant business!

We were at his house at 10 am on a Saturday morning, and he was waiting for us. He has everything set up in his garage. On one end is a row of new and used bikes for sale and on the other side is his work area. He got to work right away and lifted the bikes on to the repair stand that is three feet off the ground. I stood in amazement when I saw how he took apart the bikes and put them back together again. His hands had the precision of a surgeon and the strength for twisting a wrench of a much younger man.

We were there for 2 hours, and he fixed 3 bikes in that time. Both my friend and I were in awe of Angelo, here he is fixing bikes at an age when most people are frail, slowing down or can barely move without a cane or a walker. Not Angelo!

I had a bunch of questions I wanted to ask him, and he obliged. Thanks, Angelo!

The only thing more surprising than Angelo is his 92-year-old wife. You read that right, she came over near the end of our visit to call him in for lunch. She too was bright-eyed and bushy-tailed and engaged us in a lovely conversation before we left. The other cool thing is that they were born in Italy but met in Switzerland when they both worked in the restaurant industry and have been married 60 years!

So….here is what Angelo shared with me:

 You don't have to retire! Starting a new thing at age 60 is a great idea, and you can make some money at the same time.

 The secret to a long life is to eat healthily and keep moving. Angelo says he is either fixing bikes or out in the garden tending to his vegetables and flowers.

 Go after your dreams, no matter what your circumstances. Angelo only has a grade 5 education. Despite this so-called disadvantage, he told me he has more money than he can ever spend. He emigrated to Canada in 1966, and within two years of arriving, he opened his own Pizza Restaurant.

 Everyone has problems and stress in life. Use your friends and family to get through these times. Be close to your family. Consult them. He always spoke to his wife and kids about issues and then made his own judgement on what to do, to fix things.

 Be positive always, even if you have the most problems in the world. Stay calm and try to fix or resolve your issues. No point in worrying. Never say, "why me." That's when depression sets in and the drinking begins. One of Angelo’s children had an ailment at age 3 and has had a tough go from this throughout life.

 On marriage, he said both he and his wife care for each other. Spend your time with your family and be honest with each other. Just like in business, if one partner is not trustworthy, the outcome is a breakup. Create peace in your house. You fight with the world during the day and when you come home, provide comfort for each other. Don’t focus on money or material things either.

 Be a leader for your family. Know your responsibilities and make decisions.

 As for regrets, he said he wished he had more education. He feels that he would be 10 times better off if he had the chance.

 In the same breath, he said he is very proud of his accomplishments and very happy. He always tried to learn from his mistakes.

 His closing remark to us was, “I am happy in every way and am still here to help a lot of people.”

Angelo, you are an inspiration to the many people who will read this article and me.

Thanks for sharing your story Signore!