British woman celebrates 100th birthday: She survived Nazi plot, plane crash, cancer and now Covid-19 

London: A 99-year-old World War veteran who survived a Nazi assassination attempt, a plane crash and breast cancer over the course of her illustrious life, has now beaten the novel coronavirus to emerge a winner to celebrate her 100th birthday, reported The Guardian.

Joy Andrew, who suffers from dementia, had tested positive for the coronavirus in May and her condition at one point was extremely severe, so much so that the staff at the care home where she lived had arranged for her to be put on end-of-life care. But always the warrior, Andrews managed to beat the deadly virus over a period of few months and came out stronger, having defeated the virus to mark her 100th birthday.

Marking her birthday, the Queen sent a card and a personal message for Andrews in accordance with tradition, hailing her for her determination that brought her back from the clutches of death.Born in London in 1920, Andrews went on to join the Women's Auxiliary Air Force as sergeant when the second world war ensued.

She also reportedly served in the operations room at Bomber Command, that was involved in the strategic bombing of Germany. The Bomber Command was in charge of the RAF's bomber forces for almost 30 years since 1936. Bearing the scars of war, Andrew, who hailed from a German Jewish family was then posted in Dusseldorf. She put up with an elderly couple who had a daughter who was a Nazi.

Andrews was also assigned a driver and she often took trips to Berlin to wander amid the remains of the Reichstag, her daughter Michele said. One day while taking her to the destination, the driver attempted to kill her by causing an accident.

The driver was caught and turned out to be a Nazi, her daughter said. Incredibly proud of her mother, Michele, 57, says her surviving the coronavirus is yet another milestone for her in her eventful life. Post World War 2, Andrew also became one of the first air hostesses of the British Overseas Airways Corporation.

A flight she was onboard once overused its fuel and ended up crashing in Libya that broke up the craft due to pressure, killing one passenger but the crew survived. They were later rescued by the Bedouins.Andrew also survived breast cancer in the 1970s. Her husband David, a squadron leader in the RAF reportedly died from cancer in 2013.

Andrew now lives at Minster Grange care home in York. Her daughter Michele, says that she hasn't met her mother since March due to the coronavirus lockdown but hopes to do so soon.