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8 months ago
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ARTICLE AD BOX
THE world’s oldest living person Maria Branyas Morera has turned 117 today.
Born on 4 March 1907 in San Francisco, the grandmother has lived her life since she was eight in Spain‘s Catalonia – and has been in the same nursing home for the past 23 years.
Guiness World Records
Picture of Maria from 1925 when she was just 18SUPPLIED
87-year-old Maria playing Piano in 1994SUPPLIED
NewsflashMaria scooped the incredible title of the world’s oldest living person after French nun Lucile Randon died aged 118 in January last year.
Interestingly, Maria is quite active on X, formerly Twitter, and posts regularly with the help of other people.
She wrote a post today saying: “Good morning, world. Today I turn 117 years old. I’ve come this far.”
The staff of the nursing home says Maria has been doing incredibly well with her health – and has no physical or mental problems beyond hearing difficulties and mobility issues.
Maria’s exceptional health at such an age has forced scientists to study her body.
Scientist Manel Esteller told Spanish outlet ABC: “She has a completely lucid head.
“She remembers with impressive clarity events from when she was only four years old, and she does not present any cardiovascular disease, common in elderly people.
“It is clear that there is a genetic component because there are several members of her family who are over 90 years old.”
Maria has agreed to undergo scientific testing by researchers who hope to gain valuable insight into the secrets to long life.
Researchers have collected samples of Maria’s saliva, blood and urine and will compare them with those of her 80-year-old daughter.
Scientists hope that studying Maria’s genes will help with the development of drugs which could combat diseases associated with ageing.
Maria has lived through the 1918 pandemic, the two World Wars and Spain’s civil war
She got married in 1931 to a Catalan doctor named Joan Moret, with whom she had three children.
While her husband passed away in 1976, Maria has outlived their only son, August, who died in a tragic tractor accident at the age of 86.
She now has two daughters, 11 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.
Maria played the piano from when she was a child to the age of 108 years old when she lost the nimbleness in her fingers.
Brave Maria also survived Covid-19, which she contracted only a few weeks after turning 113.
After spending time in the hospital, she made a full recovery within days and was back to living her normal life in the nursing home.
She also scooped the title of the world’s oldest Covid survivor title in 2020, but it was later by Lucile Randon, who was three years older than Maria.
Maria is now the 12th oldest verified person in history – and will climb to take the fifth spot if she reaches her 118th birthday next year.
The oldest person ever established was Frenchwoman Jeanne Calment, who lived to the age of 122 years and 164 days.
World’s oldest people
Edie Ceccarelli – Born in California on 5 February 1908, he was the first of seven children to Italian immigrants Agostino and Maria Recagno. He is currently 116 years old.
Tomika Itooka – Born on May 23, 1908, in the city of Osaka, she is the oldest validated person living in Japan. she is currently 115 years old.
Inah Canabarro Lucas – Born on June 8, 1908, she is the oldest person currently living in Latin America. Having become a nun in the 1920s, she’s also the oldest living person in this profession. She is currently 115 years old.
Juan Vicente Pérez Mora – Born on May 27, 1909, holds the coveted title of being the oldest validated living man in the world. He’s held this title since the 18th of January 2022. He is currently 114 years old.
Elizabeth Francis – Born on July 25, 1909, he is the oldest known person in the state of Texas. Francis has three grandchildren, four great-grandchildren, and two great-great-grandchildren. He is currently 114 years old.
Ethel Caterham – Born on August 21, 1909, she is the oldest person living in the UK and has spent more than the last 50 years living in Surrey, England. She is currently 114 years old.
Okagi Hayashi – Born on September 2, 1909, is the fourth-oldest living person in Japan. Hayashi had 8 children, 22 grandchildren, 39 great-grandchildren and 5 great-great-grandchildren. He is currently 114 years old.
Pearl Berg – Born on October 1, 1909, Pearl Berg is the second-oldest known living person in the U.S. state of California, as well as the oldest known living Jewish person. He is currently 114 years old.
Tane Matsubara – Born on October 15, she is the oldest known living resident in the Hokkaido Prefecture. Currently 114 years old.
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She even made a full recovery after catching Covid when she was 113
English (US)