29 Feb 2024

Born in 1940, Kel Munro turns 21 in a Leap Year

From First Up, 5:39 am on 29 February 2024

Growing up, Kelvin Munro's mates celebrated their days of birth, like most of us, once every 365 days.

But, as a 29 February baby, Kel's official birthday only comes around once every four years, and this year he celebrates only his 21st actual day of birth in the 80 years since 1944.

"I count it as my 21st, but the non-leap year years are just as good because when you consider when was I born, I was born twenty-nine days after the start of February so that brings me into the first of March and I really wasn't born in March, so I take the two, I celebrate on both days which was a bonus."

 

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He says growing up with this particular birthday was always an ice breaker..

"My mother informed me many years later that I was born in a Devonport nursing home, and on that particular day there were three boys born and all the names start with K.

"There was Keith, Ken and Kelvin myself so that was very interesting to learn that  there's someone out there running around that's had as much fun hopefully as many fulfilling years as I have."

Kel says he hasn't come across many other people with Leap Day birthdays..

"It's pretty rare you know, and it's amazing that that day that in Auckland that there was three of us born."

He says his 21st birthday will not be a traditional 21st celebration, there will be no yard glass and no mirrored key.

"Actually my son is coming down from Tairua and he's bringing his wife and his dog and we're going to have a meal down here at home at Whangamata. They're going to do all the cooking and I'll do all the eating.

Kel said he is enjoying the unique celebration. 

"It's something that you don't come across a lot. I was out to dinner last night with friends and they had never met anyone that was born on leap year. They were quite thrilled with the whole thing."