Helen Thomas is an extraordinary woman. At 89 years old, she has attended every White House press conference since the Kennedy Administration, and she doesn’t appear to have any plans for slowing down.

I recently became her biggest fan. My husband and I visited family in Washington, DC, over the Easter holiday, and one of our tourist stops included the Smithsonian Museum of American History. The place was packed –- almost every exhibit had a 30+ minute wait! We had already spent most of the day trekking around the city, so we decided to skip the lines and crowds and head home. As we walked past the gift shop, we noticed another fairly long line. Helen Thomas was signing copies of her children’s book, The Great White House Breakout. I will admit that when I first saw her, I couldn’t recall her name or place how I knew her, but as soon as her agents mentioned that “she’s in the front row at every press conference,” it clicked. I immediately bought a copy of the book and grabbed a place in line.

As we waited behind parents with young children (Ms. Thomas wrote a two-paragraph personal message inside everyone’s book), I grew more and more excited about meeting her, taking a photo together and shaking her hand. I have always had a soft spot for seniors, and it really inspires me when I see an elder doing amazing things even in their later years. The fact that she is also an award-winning journalist and a woman of many firsts who doesn’t stand much taller than 4’11” had me positively swooning. My husband couldn’t believe how tickled I was, considering I couldn’t even place her name right away, but I was truly inspired by this petite powerhouse and eager to read more about her lifetime of accomplishments.

I will forever treasure those five minutes of meeting Helen Thomas, both for her inspiration as a successful woman (in fact, she has been named one of the 25 most influential women in America!) who is truly a pioneer of political journalism, and as a mature adult who is not letting her age get in the way of what she loves to do.

Her children’s book, The Great White House Breakout, would make a fabulous gift for anyone who is interested in Washington, DC, and a little bit of politics. This entertaining story features the son of the first female president of the United States and his “escape” from his new home on Pennsylvania Avenue, the place where “people with wires in their ears” follow his every move. It is a book that children will enjoy, but adults can certainly appreciate Thomas’ sharp wit and keen sense of humor, richly complimented by the illustrations of award-winning political cartoonist, Chip Bok.

To order the book, or to read more about this extraordinary lady and her interesting views on modern-day reporters (let’s just say she uses the phrase “subdued, compromised lapdogs”), visit www.helenthomas.org.

-Michelle Seitzer

What “senior celeb” inspires you?