Maria Branyas Morera, a resident of Catalonia, celebrated her 117th birthday on Monday, maintaining her status as the world’s oldest person for over a year.
Ms Morera has received the Guinness Book of World Records title in January 2023, after the death of 118-year-old Lucile Randon from France.
The 117-year-old was born in San Francisco, California, but when she was eight years old, her family moved back to Spain. She has survived the Spanish Civil War, two pandemics, and two World Wars.
Who is Maria Branyas Morera?
Born to Catalan parents in San Francisco on March 4, 1907, Maria has resided in the Santa Maria del Tura care home in Olot, northern Catalonia, for more than twenty years.
Ahead of the momentous occasion, Maria’s daughter, Rosa Moret, shared that family, friends, and caregivers at the care home honored her with cake and a small gift. Rosa acknowledged Maria’s recent decline in health over the past few months, though she emphasized that Maria remains free of any serious illnesses.
Despite nearing the milestone of being among the ten verified longest-living individuals in history, Maria holds a humble perspective, dismissing such records as “nonsense.” The Gerontology Research Group lists eleven individuals currently surpassing Maria’s age, all of whom are women, with only four individuals in history reaching the age of 118.
Maria assumed the title of the world’s oldest living person on January 17, 2023, following the passing of a 118-year-old French nun named Lucile Randon. Although Maria is cognizant of her unique position in the world, she remains modest, expressing indifference to the recognition.
While Maria has experienced declines in vision, hearing, and memory, she retains her mental acuity and enjoys conversing with her family and caregivers. Rosa noted that Maria now prefers peace and tranquility, foregoing interviews and other forms of public attention.
Maria’s life spans significant historical events, including both World War I and the Spanish Civil War. Recalling her childhood journey to Catalonia amid the turmoil of World War I, Maria reflected on the hardships and advancements brought by these global conflicts. Additionally, Maria survived COVID-19 in May 2020, becoming the oldest known survivor of the virus at the age of 113.
