Built Different: A Morning at the Gym with Duane, a 90-year-old Super Ager

by Danielle Glorioso

There’s a quiet connection among the folks who show up at the gym when it first opens. We’re the early birds, the ones dedicated to a routine we seldom stray from. We nod in recognition, share light jokes through yawns, and sometimes even smile through the tiredness. Over time, these familiar faces become part of the rhythm, and that’s how I got to know Duane.

We’d exchange good mornings, maybe a laugh, and check in on each other. Gradually, our conversations stretched into stories about our families, our weekends, and eventually, our lives. That’s when I learned that Duane was about to turn 90. I was amazed. Duane moves around the gym like someone half his age. He shows up. He works hard. He jokes around. He remembers people’s names. Duane isn’t just aging, he’s thriving.

Some might call him a Super Ager, a term researchers use to describe older adults whose cognitive and physical abilities remain well above average for their age, even into their 80s and 90s. Super Agers defy the typical patterns of decline often associated with aging. They stay sharp, energetic, and socially engaged. Duane is all of this and more.

As I got to know him, I learned that Duane grew up in Iowa before becoming a Marine helicopter pilot, a role requiring precision, courage, and a steady hand under pressure. Over his distinguished military career, he earned some of the nation’s highest honors, including the Silver Star Medal, the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Meritorious Service Medal, and the Vietnam Cross of Gallantry. After serving in the Vietnam War, he brought that same focus and dedication into civilian life, building a successful career and raising two daughters with his wife, Jane, to whom he’s been married for 67 years. Today, he enjoys being a grandfather to three and a great-great-grandfather to one.

What really stands out, though, is how intentional Duane is about the way he ages. He hikes, not just solo, but as part of a local hiking club. He goes to the gym three times a week. He volunteers regularly at the San Diego Safari Park and ushers at venues across the city, including the San Diego Symphony, The Old Globe, and Spreckels Organ Pavilion. He’s also part of a gleaning group that collects surplus produce from local farms and orchards to reduce food waste and support those in need. His calendar is busier than most people half his age. In fact, it took us months just to find time for a proper conversation outside the gym for this interview.

Duane says that staying active, staying connected, and giving back are the keys to his vitality. He’s not just living longer, he’s living well. And he’s doing it with his wife, Jane, who shares his active lifestyle. According to Duane, having a partner who’s equally engaged and curious makes all the difference.

What struck me most is that Duane didn’t wait until retirement to start living this way. His healthy habits, staying physically active, cultivating relationships, and staying curious—have been part of his life for decades. Longevity isn’t an accident. For Duane, it’s the result of a life lived with intention.

In a world that often focuses on youth as the peak of life, Duane is proof that the best days don’t have to be behind us; they can be now, and even ahead.