“THE ROOM WENT SILENT BEFORE HE EVEN FINISHED HIS SENTENCE…” No lights flickered, no music played — yet somehow, the air shifted the moment Dick Van Dyke leaned forward, almost 100 years old and glowing with that unmistakable spark of boyish mischief

Van Dyke has also been reflecting publicly on the strange, lucky reality of making it to 100. In recent remarks, he joked that if he’d known he’d live this long, he might have taken better care of himself — and then credited one decision above the rest: his marriage to Silver.

And when he’s asked about what he hopes people remember, he tends to bring it back to impact rather than fame — the idea that joy, decency, and a “good example” can outlive any single performance.

That’s what made his “art of conversation” message land so hard. It wasn’t a scolding. It sounded more like a wish — a reminder from someone who’s spent a lifetime watching rooms light up when people sing together, laugh together, and actually talk.

A century into his life, Dick Van Dyke is still doing what he’s always done best: showing people how to feel a little lighter — and maybe, when they leave the room, how to look up again.