By Emma Dunn
A “leap year baby” who should be 55 but has only celebrated 13 birthdays loves to throw herself children’s parties – and says she gets to be “young forever”.
Liz Duren, 55, was born on February 29, 1968 – a leap year – and has always seen the rare birthday as “lucky” and “special”.
When the date rolls around every four years Liz loves to have a children’s party – throwing a bash fit for a 10-year-old complete with a magician and games for her 44th.
This year she is turning 56 – although it is only the 14th time the date has recurred in her lifetime – and plans to have an ET themed party.
Liz, a podcaster and local historian, from Charleston, South Carolina, USA, said: “When I turned 44 I threw a 10th birthday party.
“I had a magician and games.
“I’m 55 but also 13.
“I can be young forever.
“I look great for 56 but crappy for 13.”
Ever since she was little, Liz has always loved her leap day birthday.
Her family threw her a first birthday party when she turned four and she ended up on the front page of her local paper.
When it is not a leap year Liz celebrates on the following day – March 1 – but doesn’t mind when her friends wish her a happy birthday.
She said: “It’s very confusing for all my friends for when to wish me happy birthday.
“I’ve got two birthstones.
“I’m really very relaxed about how people want to celebrate my birthday.
“I try to make the 29th special.”
This year Liz will be acting in a play on her birthday and holding an ET themed party that weekend.
She said: “I consider myself the luckiest person in the world.
“I make a joke about myself.”
Liz – who is adopted – also said her rare birthday helped her track down her birth parents when she was 44.
She was able to track down her birth mum – who does not want to be named – by contacting strangers on Facebook who went to her mother’s high school and jogging their memory with her unique date of birth.
She was also able to track down her biological dad, Harry Bennett, 83, who she now has a close relationship with.
Liz said: “Through my adoption documents I was able to work out her high school.
“I contacted people she went to school with.
“I was able to spark people’s memories with the date.
“Being born on a unique day was easier to find my birth mum.”
Liz hopes other leap babies can feel “lucky” to have such a special and rare birthday.
She said: “I have only met a handful of people that have my birthday.
“I hope they embrace it.”
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