Chandler woman who said secret to happy life is tequila surprised with special party

CHANDLER, AZ (3TV/CBS 5) -- A few weeks ago, a Chandler woman celebrating her 101st birthday shared that her secret to life is tequila, which went viral. So much so that a tequila company flew out to surprise her with a special party!

One of Chandler’s oldest residents, Mary Flip, has been enjoying a special drink for most of her life. “My secret? Oh, I don’t know, tequila,” said Flip at her birthday party earlier this month. At 101 years old, she said her secret to a long, happy life is tequila. The world fell in love with her simple answer.

When she woke up this morning, she had no idea she would get another birthday treat. “I have a special surprise, a special treat for Mary. She’s over there so I have to be quiet,” said Manny Hinojosa, Tequila Cazadores brand ambassador.

After our initial interview went viral, Tequila Cazadores reached out to throw her a party, even flying out their bartender to make her favorite drink. “Happy Birthday, Mary. I have a special surprise for you,” Hinojosa said. “Does that have tequila in it?” asked Mary. “Just a little bit. Do you want to taste it?” asked Hinojosa. “I’ll drink from the bottle,” she said, chuckling.

Mary says she first started drinking tequila thanks to her late Mexican husband. “I had a wonderful husband that liked to have tequila before dinner. He tried to train me into it. I tried just a little bit thinking I’ll develop a taste for it, I’ll be a tequila drinker. I learned to drink. I learned to drink tequila,” Flip said.

She says the drink has got her through many twists and turns in life, like raising six kids. “A baby here, a baby there, running around,” Flip said.

But today, she focused on herself and celebrated an extraordinary life. “This tequila is a special edition bottle that we made to celebrate a hundred years of the company. Of the brand,” Hinojosa said as Mary went for a taste. “So, that’s a good sign when you have a double sip. Did you enjoy it?” Hinojosa asked. Flip seemed to enjoy her tasty drink!

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