That rare special birthday: Feb. 29

One thing about leap year day babies -- they never have to fib about their age.

Take Newsday reader Larry Funk of Westbury. In real years, he's turning 52. But because his birthday is Feb. 29, "This is my bar mitzvah year," he says. "I will finally be a man of 13." That's how many leap years there have been since he was born in 1960.

Funk is one of a handful of Act 2 readers born on leap year day who answered our query about what it's like to have one birthday every four years. They all told us they've never felt cheated because they celebrate their birthday even if it isn't leap year -- usually either Feb. 28 or March 1. And the novelty of it always gives them something to talk about.

You could say they beat the odds. There's a 1 in 1,461 chances of being born on Feb. 29; for any other day of the Gregorian calendar, it's 1 in 365.

The extra day does serve a purpose. The website timeanddate.com says, "Leap years are needed to keep our calendar in alignment with the Earth's revolutions around the sun . . . If we didn't add a day on Feb. 29 nearly every four years, we would lose almost six hours off our calendar every year. After only 100 years, our calendar would be off by approximately 24 days!"

But if you thought leap year comes every four years, you're mistaken. Websites such as timeanddate.com and infoplease.com are crammed with Feb. 29 facts about the why and when behind the additional day and the inconsistencies of leap year. For one thing, it doesn't happen every four years.

Timeanddate.com says that in the Gregorian calendar, three criteria must be met for it to be a leap year:

The year must be evenly divisible by four

But if the year can be evenly divisible by 100, it isn't a leap year. So 1900 wasn't a leap year (1896 and 1904 were).

However, if the year is evenly divisible by 400, it is a leap year. So, 2000, 2400 and 2800 are leap years, while 1800, 1900, 2100, 2200, 2300 and 2500 are not leap years. The year 2000 was the first instance "when the third criterion was used in most parts of the world since the transition from the Julian to the Gregorian calendar," timeanddate.com states.

Leap year day has its share of notable births, beside our readers. According to various websites, Feb. 29 birthday people include a pope, filmmakers from various countries, pro baseball and football players, composers, scientists, poets and artists. Some recognizable names include singer Dinah Shore, fashion designer Willi Smith, rapper Ja Rule and motivational speaker Anthony Robins.

Two Act 2 readers didn't reach us in time to have their photos taken, but they agree there's nothing negative about being born on Feb. 29.

Sally Hassel of Commack, who will be 20 (or 80 in real time), says people who learn about her Feb. 29 birthday tell her they've never known anyone born that day. Her response is always, "That's because I'm special."

And Sue D'Agostino of Central Islip, who will be marking her 12th leap year birthday, says, "I celebrate every year, but my family loves to tell me I don't have a birthday -- three years in a row! I usually get two birthdays because no one can decide whether to celebrate the last day of February or March 1. So far, we don't have plans, but this year, no one will be able to say, 'You don't have a birthday!' "

MARY DeNISCO, Sands Point

LEAP YEAR BIRTHDAYS INCLUDING 2012: 17

AGE IN YEARS: 68

PLANS: Having dinner with friends and bracing for all of the special once-every-four-year phone calls

IN HER WORDS: I have always loved having a leap year birthday. My mom said that since I was born in February, I should celebrate my birthday on Feb. 28 for the three "common" years, and, of course, I would celebrate my real birthday on the 29th on the leap years.

I clearly remember my eighth birthday in 1952 (my second leap year birthday) when girls from my class came over for a party in my Brooklyn apartment. We played "Pin the Tail on the Donkey."

In 1960, I had an all-girl "Sweet 16" party (fourth leap year birthday) on a Saturday afternoon in the basement of my Brooklyn house. The girls were classmates from St. Brendan's High School, some of whom I saw this past September at my 50th high school reunion. We danced to rock and roll hits and ate food prepared by my mom.

In 1968, I was a teacher at PS 120 on Beaver Street in Brooklyn. It was my 24th birthday (sixth leap year birthday), and my principal announced over the public address system that it was my special day, my real birthday, and the entire school cheered and made cards for me. I was a winner in a radio contest for leap year birthdays, so that evening, my sister and I went to see a concert in New York City as the contest prize.

In 2004, my family surprised me with a huge party at home. It was my 60th birthday (15th leap year birthday), and our home was under major renovations. My husband and I went to see "The Producers" on Broadway that night (the 29th was on a Saturday), and I came home to a crowd of about 100 people yelling "Surprise!" There was lots of secret planning to pull off this event.

In 2008, as I had always promised, I threw myself a huge "Sweet 16 Leap Year Party." I was 64, but I truly felt 16. I wore a pair of saddle shoes and had a corsage of sugar cubes pinned to my sweater. I asked for absolutely no gifts, except contributions to three favorite charities -- St. Jude's Hospital, Make-a-Wish Foundation, and my parish's St. Peter's Social Ministry Outreach Program. I am proud to say that more than $3,000 in donations were given to these wonderful charities.

As an elementary schoolteacher, I always loved when the month of February began. As we filled in the new month's calendar, I would tell the students about my leap year birthday. The kids loved hearing that I was only 6 or 7 years old -- younger than they were! I have lived in the Port Washington area for 40 years. I often see former students who are now parents themselves. They enjoy introducing me to their children saying, "Do you know that Mrs. DeNisco is now only 17 years old?" They never seem to forget my special birthday!

Of course I love having a leap year birthday. Who wouldn't?

DEBORAH GLIMMANN, Bohemia

LEAP YEAR BIRTHDAYS INCLUDING 2012: 14

AGE IN YEARS: 56

PLANS: Visiting Germany with husband, Peter.

IN HER WORDS: "Being born on leap year is wonderful! I will be forever young.

I was in the Glen Cove local paper Feb. 29, 1956, as the first baby born at Glen Cove Hospital that morning, at 3 a.m. My mom still talks about that day!

I will actually be turning only 14 years old, which makes me younger than my 27-year-old son!

I'm proud to be a leap year baby.

MARY ANN McCARTHY, Smithtown

LEAP YEAR BIRTHDAYS INCLUDING 2012: 18

AGE IN YEARS: 72

PLANS: Celebrating with her daughter, Laura, and son, Patrick, and their families

IN HER WORDS: I was born on Feb. 29, 1940. It was extra special, because my mother was also a leap year day baby. She was born on Feb. 29, 1912, so we always celebrated our birthdays together. I'm an only child.

My mother told me the best story about being born on Feb. 29. When I was being baptized, she told the nuns my date of birth. But the nuns and priest were very superstitious, so they wouldn't put my real birth date on the certificate. Instead, they wrote down my birthday as Feb. 28! After my mother died, I found my baptismal papers among her things, and she was right! The nuns had written Feb. 28 instead of Feb. 29, although my birth certificate says Feb. 29. When it's not a leap year, I usually celebrate my birthday on Feb. 28.

LARRY FUNK, Westbury

LEAP YEAR BIRTHDAYS INCLUDING 2012: 13

AGE IN YEARS: 52

PLANS: Traveling to Israel with his girlfriend

IN HIS WORDS: It has been a great conversation piece my whole life. Some people are completely fascinated by my birthday. Others do not give it a thought. But most are at least curious. Many do not know how it works. A few do not even believe that there is a Feb. 29.

Over the years, I have found that most people cannot figure out my true age without help. Even the brightest have trouble dividing by four.

My experience has been mostly good. I have had more surprise parties than most people. I can remember 16, 20, 28, 32, and 40 (a big one). They were all memorable and a great deal of fun.

The best part is that every four years on Feb. 29, I hear from everyone that I have ever known. I even get emails from my friends' parents. On the flip side, I don't hear from anyone except my parents and siblings when it's not a leap year. My birthday is about to come . . . then, it is March and gone. People move on. Not even a generic email card. Nothing.

The cutest story I have is that several years ago, my youngest daughter, Julia (at that time about 4, now 16), and I were talking about our birthdays.

I was explaining that she has a birthday every year, but I only have one every four years. She got so excited that in a few years she would be older than me. Then, as she thought about it, tears began to fill her eyes. I asked her what was wrong. She figured out that she was going to get older than me, but I would still be young. She was so afraid that she would die before me and that I would miss her so much. I tried not to laugh.

All in all, it is nice to be a little different. Thanks for showing some interest. Doubt I will hear from you (or anybody else) next year.