The WWII veteran who garnered a large following on TikTok was 'cracking jokes till the very end,' his granddaughter McKaela said.

Mr. Larson, the last survivor of a unit that stormed Omaha Beach in 1944, shared his memories on social media where he amassed a wide following.

On July 17, 2025, Papa Jake passed away peacefully at his home in Lafayette, California, at the age of 102. His granddaughter McKaela announced his death on social media, noting that he “went peacefully ” and was “cracking jokes until the end,” ending her message with his signature farewell: