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117-year-old woman who survived world wars, Spanish Flu, Covid shares secret of her longevity

Maria Branyas Morera, born in 1907 in San Francisco, celebrated her 117th birthday on March 4. Guinness World Records shared a post on Instagram about her.

Published on: Mar 05, 2024 1:45 PM IST
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Guinness World Records (GWR) took to Instagram to share a post on a woman celebrating her 117th birthday. Maria Branyas Morera, the world’s oldest living person, survived World War I, World War II, the Spanish Flu pandemic, and the Covid-19 pandemic.

This split image shows two pictures of the world's oldest living person - one from when she was young and another from her 117th birthday celebrations. (X/@MariaBranyas112, Instagram/@guinnessworldrecords)
This split image shows two pictures of the world's oldest living person - one from when she was young and another from her 117th birthday celebrations. (X/@MariaBranyas112, Instagram/@guinnessworldrecords)

“Happy birthday to Maria Branyas Morera who celebrates her 117th birthday today. She was verified as the world’s oldest person back in January 2023. Maria was born on 4 March 1907 in San Francisco, USA, but returned to Spain with her family when she was eight to settle in Catalonia. She’s lived in the region ever since and has resided in the same nursing home for the past 23 years,” GWR wrote as they posted a picture of Morera on Instagram.

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While talking to GWR, Morera shared that “luck and good genetics” are not the only attributing factors behind her longevity. She also added that the other factors are “order, tranquillity, good connection with family and friends, contact with nature, emotional stability, no worries, no regrets, lots of positivity, and staying away from toxic people”.

How did Maria Branyas Morera celebrate her 117th birthday?

"She is happy to be able to celebrate this special day intimately with her family and colleagues and wishes everyone a happy Monday,” Eva Carrera Boix, the director of Maria's nursing home, told GWR. The centenarian celebrated her birthday on March 4.

"She is very grateful for all the congratulations received and the interest that so many people have shown in her state of health," Boix added.

Take a look at this post by GWR about the 117-year-old world record holder:

The post was shared about 14 hours ago. Since then, it has gathered nearly 1.8 lakh likes and the numbers are only increasing. The share has further collected tons of comments from people.

What did Instagram users say about this GWR post?

“She lived through two world wars and two pandemics, She has a better idea of how the world is than any of us,” wrote an Instagram user.

“She is 99 years older than me,” posted another.

“May God bless her and give her more energy and health,” joined a third.

Also Read: 97-year-old man sets world record for the oldest competitive motorcycle racer

More about Maria Branyas Morera:

“Maria lived through the Spanish Flu pandemic of 1918 as well as the Spanish Civil War (1936–1939), which she said she has ‘very bad memories’ of,” shared GWR.

“Over a century after the 1918 pandemic, Maria also survived Covid-19 – she contracted the virus a few weeks after turning 113 in 2020 but made a full recovery within days,” they added.

She is presently in a good condition. She has no physical or mental issues beyond her hearing and mobility issues.

  • Trisha Sengupta
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Trisha Sengupta

    Trisha Sengupta works as Chief Content Producer at Hindustan Times with over six years of experience in the digital newsroom. Known for her ability to decode the internet’s most talked-about moments, she specialises in high-engagement storytelling that bridges the gap between viral trends and traditional journalism. Throughout her tenure, Trisha has focused on the intersection of technology, finance, and human emotion. She frequently covers personal finance and real estate struggles in hubs like Gurgaon, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad, while also documenting the unique challenges of the NRI experience. Her work often highlights the movements and philosophies of global newsmakers and personalities like Elon Musk, Mukesh Ambani, Nikhil Kamath, Dubai crown prince, and MrBeast. From reporting on Amazon or Meta layoffs and startup culture to the emergence of AI-driven platforms like Grok and xAI, she provides a grounded and empathetic perspective on the stories shaping our world. When not decoding the internet, Trisha is likely offline: lost in a book, exploring a historical ruin, or navigating the world as a solo traveler. She balances her fast-paced career with family time and a healthy dose of curiosity, currently trading her "human" sources for silicon ones as she masters AI to future-proof her storytelling.Read More

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