Dick Van Dyke makes surprising death confession: ‘Fortunately, I won’t be around’

Dick Van Dyke was as quick-witted as ever despite approaching his 99th birthday when asked what he thought of the recent US election result that saw Donald Trump win 312 electoral college votes. 

The legendary actor was asked while running errands with his wife, Arlene Silver, about his thoughts on Trump’s election win, as per the Daily Mail. 

When a reporter asked, “Does the future look bright for America?” Dick responded, “I hope you’re right!”

The reporter followed up by asking, “Do you think Donald Trump is capable of making America great again?” Dick replied, “Fortunately, I won’t be around to experience the four years.”

The Mary Poppins star endorsed the Democratic candidate, Vice President Kamala Harris, in the lead-up to the election, posting a lengthy video to Instagram voicing his support for the presidential hopeful.

“Fifty years ago— May 31st, 1964— I was on the podium with Dr. Martin Luther King, who was addressing some 60,000 people in the Colosseum in LA, and I was there to read a message written by Rod Serling,” the video began.

“I got it out the other day, and I think it means as much today— if not more— than it did then, so if you don’t mind, I’d like to read it,“ he continued.

Dick began to read from the speech, reciting, “Hatred is not the norm. Prejudice is not the norm. Suspicion, dislike, jealousy [and] scapegoating…none of those are the transcendent facets of the human personality.”

“They are diseases. They are the cancers of the soul. They are the infectious and contagious viruses that have been breeding humanity for years.”

© Instagram

“There will be moments of violence and expressions of hatred and an ugly echo of intolerance, but these are the clinging vestiges of a decayed past, not the harbingers of the better, cleaner future,‘ he said. 

“If there is one mind remaining to think a thought of warmth and friendship, then there’s a future in which we will find more than one hand, more than one voice, and more than one mind dedicated to the cause of man’s equality.”

© Getty Images

The father of four wrapped the video with a quote from abolitionist Horace Mann: “Be ashamed to die until you have won some victory for humanity.”

“It’s not what Martin Luther King dreamed of, but it’s a start,“ he finished. The video tagged the Vice President and was captioned with one important message: “VOTE!!!“ 

© CBS Photo Archive

As for how he maintains his humor and spirit at almost a century old, Dick admitted to Entertainment Tonight that it was down to staying active. “The only thing is I’ve always exercised. [My wife Arlene and I] still go to the gym three days a week and work out. And I believe that’s the secret.”

He continued: “Most people at 98 years old don’t really feel like working out and they seize up, you know? You get stiff and I’m still, you know, [moving] pretty well. And I think that must be the secret because I don’t really watch my diet or anything. Stayed skinny. That helps.”