Woman who danced with President Obama, Michelle Obama at White House dies at 113
A Washington, D.C., woman who got to live her dream of meeting former President Obama and first lady Michelle Obama in her 100s has died.
Virginia McLaurin died Monday at the age of 113, according to a post on her Facebook page.
McLaurin met the Obamas at the White House in 2016 after her campaign to meet the president, who was still in office at the time, went viral.
McLaurin danced with the Obamas upon meeting them, a moment that was captured on video and went on to be viewed more than 70 million times on the White House's official Facebook page.
"What's the secret to still dancing at 106?" President Obama is overheard saying in the video.
"I am so happy," McLaurin says in the video, adding that she was there to celebrate Black History Month.
Michelle Obama replies, "We are happy to have you."
After visiting the White House, McLaurin had the opportunity to dance with the Harlem Globetrotters and attended her first Major League Baseball game. The Washington Nationals even presented her with her own jersey with the number 107, to honor her 107th birthday.
Michelle Obama paid tribute to McLaurin on Instagram Tuesday, writing, "Rest in peace, Virginia. We know you’re up there dancing."
McLaurin, who turned 113 last March, was born in South Carolina in 1909, and moved to Washington, D.C., in 1939, according to a 2016 D.C. Council resolution honoring her.
According to the resolution, McLaurin worked previously as an au pair and a seamstress.
Once she retired, McLaurin volunteered for several decades as a school volunteer, foster grandparent and affordable housing advocate.
"She lived an incredibly full life and appreciated all the love she received from people on this FB page and everywhere she went," her friends and family said in the statement announcing her death.
A GoFundMe page created to help her family with the cost of memorial services encouraged people to look for "other Ms. McLaurins" to learn about and support.
"In addition to providing support here, we encourage you to look out for the other Ms. McLaurins in your neighborhood," the GoFundMe page reads. "There are elders in every community who give back to the community and could use some support. They also have stories to tell."
