"Don't Cry, I'll Be Happy Wherever I Go"... Last Post of the 117-Year-Old Oldest Grandmother

The Spanish grandmother who was recognized by the Guinness World Records as the world's oldest person has passed away at the age of 117. On the 20th (local time), the British newspaper The Guardian reported, "The family of Maria Branyas Morera, the world's oldest person from Spain, announced on the 19th that Branyas had passed away."

Maria Branyas Morera, who passed away on the 19th. [Image source=Guinness World Records official website capture]

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Branyas' life was full of various ups and downs. Born in the United States in 1907, Branyas lost her hearing during the process of moving to her homeland, the Catalonia region of Spain, during World War I. She experienced two pandemics: the 1918 Spanish flu and the 2020 COVID-19. She also lived through both World War I and World War II. After marrying in 1931, she lived with her husband until he passed away at the age of 72. She had three children, eleven grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, with one child passing away before Branyas.

On January 17, 2023, following the death of Lucile Randon, a French nun who was previously the oldest person, Branyas inherited the official title of the oldest living person. Upon her death on the 19th, she was recorded as the eighth longest-lived person in human history, and the person succeeding her was identified as a 116-year-old Japanese individual.

Branyas attributed her longevity to ▲ good relationships with family and friends ▲ contact with nature ▲ a positive mindset. She introduced herself as a "super grandmother" on her X (formerly Twitter) account, saying, "I am very old, but I am not a fool." She actively communicated with people worldwide through X until just a few days before her death. Recently, as if sensing her final moments, she wrote, "The time is coming," and "Please don't cry, I dislike tears." She added, "Wherever I go, I will be happy."

Not only was her longevity remarkable, but her good health also attracted the attention of researchers worldwide. When she was previously recognized as the world's oldest living person by Guinness, scientist Manel Estela, who had communicated with Maria over a long period, told local Spanish media, "Her mind is completely clear. She even remembers events that happened when she was only four years old with astonishing clarity." He added, "She does not have any cardiovascular diseases commonly found in elderly people."

Branyas cited her longevity factors as "good luck and genetic traits, order, composure, good relationships with family and friends, contact with nature, emotional stability, not worrying or regretting, a positive attitude toward everything, and staying away from harmful people."

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