World's oldest person turns 117 today: Who is Maria Branyas Morera?

Today (4 March) marks the 117th birthday of Maria Branyas Morera, the world's oldest living person.

Maria received the title after the death of French nun Sister André at the age of 118 in January 2023.

Born in San Francisco on 4 March, 1907, Maria attributes her longevity to order, tranquility, good relationships with family and friends, contact with nature, emotional stability, no worries, no regrets, a lot of positivity, and avoiding toxic people.

She was born in San Francisco, but when she was eight years old, her family moved to Catalonia. Maria has been living in the same nursing home for the past 23 years.

Maria has three children, 11 grandchildren, and 13 great-grandchildren.

Despite her hearing impairment and mobility issues, Maria has no significant physical or mental health issues.

In May 2020, she tested positive for COVID-19. Maria appears to have become one of the oldest people to recover from it.

Her genes are being studied to aid in the development of drugs to treat age-related diseases.

She is also active on social media, particularly X (formerly known as Twitter), with the assistance of her daughter.

Maria's remarkable journey includes surviving two World Wars, the Spanish Civil War, and the COVID-19 pandemic at the age of 113.

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