Rewind '23: Inspirational Gail, nearly 80, goes all Martha Stewart

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A high-achieving local senior with a ‘can do, will do’ attitude to life, fitness and community, says the photographs of Martha Stewart posing in her bathing suit should be an inspiration to us all.

Stewart, the 81-year-old businesswoman and TV personality, broke the internet when she appeared as the oldest cover model in the history of Sports Illustrated.

Gail Lewis, who is approaching her 80th birthday, said Stewart looks great.

“I thought ‘oh my Lord, who is this woman?’," she told Kelowna10. “Being so close to my age, that was amazing. Some people think once you get to a certain age you just stop and sit by the couch, which is not good.”

Lewis is not for sitting on the couch. After being airlifted out of Kelowna to Vancouver for triple-bypass heart surgery back in 2005 she has barely sat still. After her recovery, she started walking regularly and that evolved into a regular regimen of exercise and community building.

She has raised over $70,000 in the last 17 years for the COACH (Central Okanagan Association for Cardiac Health) Walk of Life initiative and was recognized in 2021 with a Gratitude Award from the Stober Foundation.

If she’s not getting up at 5 a.m. to head to her three-times-a-week cardio and upper body workouts at Parkinson Rec Centre, she’s walking or cycling somewhere.

Does she see herself as an inspirational figure?

“I do. I mean, who wants to get up at five o’clock in the morning?” she said. “But the minute I get out of bed I know there’s something I want to do. I want to inspire people. People aren’t taking care of themselves properly, especially as they get older.”

It says much about Lewis’ attitude that when Kelowna10 asked her if she fancied posing like Martha Stewart around the downtown Hotel Zed pool and rooftop lounge for a special video feature, she didn’t hesitate.

“Man, if she can do it, I can do it,” she said with a big laugh. “Actually, I nearly wore a two-piece but I thought ‘nah, I better be a bit classier than that.”

Gail Lewis doesn’t have to worry about being classy; that’s apparent. She’s a spunky achiever who is setting the perfect example for doing the right thing for living a long and healthier life.

“Some people think I shouldn’t be getting up at 5 a.m. and doing that stuff; they think I’m too old. I don’t think I’m too old. I want to live till I’m old. And I know other people who want to live till they’re old.

“You have to make up your mind and do it… like Martha Stewart.”