The eighth oldest person in the world
This Saturday, the Catalan Maria Branyas has been recognized as the eighth oldest person who has ever existed, according to verifications by the Gerontology Research Group (GRG) association, an entity that collaborates with Guinness records to certify dates of birth and death. Born in San Francisco in 1907, Maria Branyas, at 117 years and 138 days, has surpassed Emma Morano, who held the title of oldest person until her death in 2017. In addition, Branyas has become the third oldest European documented longevity.
A legacy of longevity
To date, there are only seven people known to have lived longer than Maria Branyas, all of them women. Three of them lived to be 118 years old, three others reached 119, and Jeanne Calment holds the world record at 122 years and 164 days. In May of this year, Branyas joined the ten oldest people who have ever lived.
The secret behind its longevity
Maria Branyas became the oldest living person a year and a half ago, after the death of Lucile Randon, who was 118 years old. On March 4, Branyas celebrated her 117th birthday. Her daughter, Rosa Moret, mentioned in an interview that her mother does not suffer from serious illnesses. However, she acknowledged that her health has been slowly declining since the previous summer, affecting her vision, hearing, memory and mobility, although she has never required hospitalization.
Life through the 20th century
Born on March 4, 1907 in San Francisco, into a Catalan family, Maria Branyas emigrated to Catalonia as a child. Her memories span from the First World War to the Spanish Civil War. Her family returned to Catalonia in 1914, in the middle of the world war. She recounts her journey by ship, evading German attacks in the northern seas, sailing through the Azores and Cuba.
Overcoming covid-19
In May 2020, Maria Branyas earned the title of the oldest living person by surviving Covid-19 at 113 years old. Her incredible life story and longevity is a testament to resilience and the changes she has witnessed over more than a century.
Reflections on longevity
For Maria Branyas, records and awards are not of great importance. According to her daughter, Rosa Moret, she considers them to be mere ‘nonsense’. However, there is no doubt that her longevity and life experience offer valuable lessons about history and the capacity for human adaptation and resilience.
Maria Branyas continues to be a source of inspiration, not only because of her age, but because of her life full of stories, experiences and a surprising adaptation to the constant changes in the world. Her testimony is a valuable legacy for future generations, reminding us of the importance of historical memory and human resistance.