- Maria Branyas Morera, the world's oldest person, has passed away at the age of 117
- Branyas's longevity was attributed to various factors
- Researchers studied Branyas's DNA to understand the factors contributing to her longevity
Maria Branyas Morera, the world’s oldest known person, has passed away at the age of 117. Born in the US in 1907, Branyas lived through two pandemics and two world wars.
Her family announced her death, noting that she passed peacefully in her sleep, as she had hoped. They remember her for her wisdom and kindness.
Branyas had spent the last twenty years in the Santa Maria del Tura nursing home in Olot, northeastern Spain. In a recent post on her family-managed account,
she mentioned feeling weak and anticipated her time was near. She asked not to be mourned or have tears shed over her departure, expressing that she would be happy wherever she went.
In January 2023, Guinness World Records officially recognized Branyas as the world’s oldest person following the death of French nun Lucile Randon, who was 118. The current oldest living person is Japan’s Tomiko Itooka, born on May 23, 1908, who is now 116, according to the US Gerontology Research Group.
Branyas experienced the 1918 flu pandemic, both World Wars, and the Spanish Civil War. She contracted Covid-19 in 2020 shortly after turning 113 but recovered fully. Her youngest daughter, Rosa Moret, attributed her mother’s longevity to genetics, noting that Branyas had never needed hospital care or suffered from significant ailments.
Branyas attributed her long life to a lifestyle of order, tranquility, strong family bonds, nature, emotional stability, positivity, and avoiding toxic individuals. She also believed that luck played a role in her longevity.
Born in San Francisco on March 4, 1907, shortly after her family’s move from Mexico, Branyas lived in Texas and New Orleans before returning to Spain in 1915. The return was marred by tragedy as her father died of tuberculosis during the voyage, and his coffin was cast into the sea. Branyas and her mother settled in Barcelona, where she married a doctor in 1931. They lived together for forty years until his death, and had three children, 11 grandchildren, and many great-grandchildren.
Researcher Manel Esteller from the University of Barcelona, who studied Branyas’s DNA, expressed surprise at her excellent health and mental clarity, despite mobility and hearing issues.
The longest-lived verified person was Jeanne Louise Calment from France, who lived to 122 years and 164 days, passing away in 1997.
