At 97, Nova Scotia man still cuts 5 cords of wood each year to heat his home
Murray Cook, a 97-year-old resident of Cooks Cove just outside of Guysborough, N.S., has a daily routine that has helped him defy the odds and outlive the average Nova Scotian by nearly two decades. He starts his day with hot porridge, vitamins, and a commitment to maintaining his family home. Cook attributes his longevity to avoiding fatty foods, staying active, and abstaining from drinking and smoking.
Cook’s active lifestyle began in his teenage years when he started working in the construction sector. He later joined his family’s sawmill operation in Cooks Cove and continued working there until its closure in the 1990s. Despite the mill shutting down, Cook didn’t slow down. Over the next 25 years, he personally planted 15,000 trees in Guysborough and surrounding communities as part of a one-man reforestation project.
Today, Cook still maintains a rigorous routine, cutting five cords of firewood annually to heat the home he built in 1956 with his father and brother. Despite living alone for the past eight years, Cook remains active and independent, even driving to nearby towns to run errands every 10 days.
His son, Chris Cook, who works for the Nova Scotia Health Authority, considers his father a personal hero for his dedication to active living. Murray Cook’s philosophy is simple – the body is not meant to be idle, and he looks forward to working and breaking a sweat every day.
With his eight-year-old dog Dusty by his side, Murray Cook continues to tend to chores like chopping firewood and mowing the lawn at his Guysborough County home. His commitment to a healthy lifestyle, hard work, and staying active serves as an inspiration to many, proving that age is just a number when it comes to living a fulfilling life.
