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It’s a big day for stage and screen legend Dick Van Dyke, as the actor turned 99 years old on December 13. I’m not sure what the man possibly known best for his eponymous 1960s sitcom and for playing Bert in Mary Poppins — the best Disney movie of its decade — had planned to celebrate his 99th trip around the sun, but after a harrowing experience amidst the wildfires plaguing Malibu, California, he’s probably just happy to have made it.
Tens of thousands of people have had to evacuate from the Malibu area since December 9, People reports, as the wildfires raged. Dick Van Dyke spoke to a reporter about his own scary experience in a Today Show segment where he said:
It was coming from the hill, you could see it. And oh my God. We got out of here. I was trying to crawl to the car. I had exhausted myself. I couldn’t get up. Three neighbors came and carried me out and came back and put out a little fire in the guest house and saved me.
Thank goodness for good neighbors, right? What a horrifying situation that must have been for him and his family. They did end up leaving their home to find safer ground, with footage from Dick Van Dyke’s doorbell camera showing the actor evacuating with his wife Arlene Silver and their pets. They confirmed via Facebook that they were safe, and on December 12 they were even able to return home.
The family endured an additional scare when one of their cats escaped when they were trying to flee. However, Bobo was found as soon as they returned home, which was a birthday present in itself to Dick Van Dyke, who admitted if something had happened, “I would be a wreck.”
I’m sure millions of fans are saying the same thing about what could have happened to Dick Van Dyke if his neighbors hadn’t noticed he was in trouble. The man is a national treasure who has been bringing smiles to people’s faces for 75 years with his comedy, dancing and bad British accent.
Just under two years ago fans had cause for concern when Dick Van Dyke was involved in a scary car accident that left him banged up and bloody. According to reports, the then-97-year-old lost control of the 2018 Lexus LS 500 he was driving on wet roads, crashing into a gate. He was treated at the scene for a bloody nose and mouth, bypassing a trip to the hospital.
And THAT accident came 10 years after the Tony winner was saved by a stranger who pulled him out of his burning vehicle. Dick Van Dyke seems to have angels watching over him, which is good because we need to protect this icon at all costs.
Hopefully Dick Van Dyke and his family continue to stay safe from the fires, and I’m sure they’re all feeling even more fortunate to be celebrating the big 9-9. You can honor Van Dyke on his birthday by streaming Mary Poppins or Mary Poppins Returns (which features the most perfect role for Van Dyke) with a Disney+ subscription.