Guinness World Records is saddened to announce the passing of Maria Branyas Morera, the world’s oldest person, who died on August 19 at the remarkable age of 117 years and 168 days
Her passing was confirmed by the Gerontology Research Group.
Maria was born on March 4, 1907, in San Francisco, California, to Spanish parents who had emigrated to the United States just a year prior.
She spent her early years in America, living in Texas and New Orleans before returning to Catalonia, Spain, with her family in 1915 during World War I.
Maria’s life was marked by remarkable resilience and adaptability.
She survived a perilous trans-Atlantic voyage, a fall that left her with permanent hearing loss in one ear, and the loss of her father to tuberculosis.
She also lived through both World Wars, the Spanish Civil War, and the Spanish Flu pandemic.
In addition to her historical significance, Maria’s life was defined by her strong family connections, emotional stability, and positivity.
She attributed her longevity to “order, tranquility, good connection with family and friends, contact with nature, emotional stability, no worries, no regrets, lots of positivity, and staying away from toxic people.” She also believed that luck and good genetics played a role.
Maria married her husband, Dr. Joan Moret, at the age of 24, and they had three children together.
She worked alongside her husband during the Spanish Civil War, treating wounded soldiers, and continued to assist him in his medical practice after the war.
Despite facing numerous challenges, including the loss of her husband in 1976 and her eldest son in 2022, Maria remained lucid and active until the end of her life.
She contracted COVID-19 in 2020 at the age of 113 but made a full recovery within days, becoming the world’s oldest COVID-19 survivor at the time.
Maria celebrated her 117th birthday earlier this year, surrounded by family and friends at her care home in Catalonia.
She leaves behind two children, 11 grandchildren, and many great-grandchildren.
Guinness World Records extends its condolences to Maria’s family and honors her remarkable life and legacy.
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RIP