| Maria Branyas Morera | |
 Maria Branyas Morera on her 117th birthday in 2024 | |
| Birth: | 4 March 1907 San Francisco, California, USA |
| Death: | 19 August 2024 Olot, Catalonia, Spain |
| Age: | 117 years, 168 days |
| Country: |  USA ESP
|
| Validated | |
Maria Branyas Morera (4 March 1907 — 19 August 2024) was an American-Spanish supercentenarian who, at the age of 117 years, 168 days, was recognised and honoured by Guinness World Records as being the oldest validated living person in the world from the death of 118-year-old Lucile Randon of France on 17 January 2023, until her own death on 19 August 2024. She was among the oldest people known to have survived COVID-19, which she contracted at the age of 113 in April 2020. She is currently the oldest person ever to have resided in Spain and the oldest emigrant ever recorded whose age has been validated by the Gerontology Research Group (GRG). She is also the eighth-oldest validated person ever, the third-oldest person ever to have resided in Europe, and the second-oldest person ever born in the United States, after Sarah Knauss.
Biography[]
Early Life[]
Maria Branyas Morera was born in San Francisco, California, USA on 4 March 1907 to Joseph Branyas Julia (1 April 1877 – 3 June 1915) and Teresa Morera Laque (March 1880 – 22 November 1968). Her family emigrated to San Francisco in 1906. They later travelled to New Orleans, from here they departed to Olot, Catalonia, Spain in 1915. While emigrating to Spain aboard the Catalania, Branyas Morera injured her eardrum in a fall, resulting in her permanently losing hearing in one ear. Towards the end of the voyage, Branyas Morera's father, Joseph Branyas Julia, died from pulmonary tuberculosis at the age of 37, leaving Branyas Morera's mother to raise the family of five on her own.
Mother and daughter settled in Barcelona, where they will live for several years. Likewise, they would also live for a few years in Bañolas, where Maria trained in skills such as reading, writing, music and painting Once settled, she would buy a second summer residence on the Costa Brava, where she met the doctor Joan Moret (1906–1976) whom she married in 1931 on 16 July and had three children: August Moret Branyas (6 July 1932 – 14 June 2019), Maria Teresa Moret Branyas (born 25 October 1933) and Maria Rosa Moret Branyas (born 1944) and as her husband's until his death in 1976.
Later Life[]
In the 1990s, Branyas travelled to Egypt, Italy, the Netherlands, and England and took up sewing, music and reading. In 2000, when she was 93, Branyas Morera moved into a care home in Olot, where she resided at for the rest of her life. At the age of 110, she reportedly still read the newspaper every day. As of August 2019, she had 11 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.
Branyas Morera was deaf in one ear, and partially deaf in the other, with precautions taken at her nursing home. This made communication difficult, but using a voice-to-text device, her relatives were able to communicate fluently.
In May 2023, Branyas Morera was visited by Robert Young, Director for GRG Supercentenarian Research and Database Department, Natalie Coles, the wife of Dr. L. Stephen Coles, founder of the GRG, and Dr. Manel Esteller.
COVID-19 Survival[]
In April 2020, at the age of 113, Branyas Morera tested positive for COVID-19, but successfully recovered. She was the oldest recorded survivor of the disease until Lucile Randon, then 116, of France recovered in 2021. In a subsequent interview with the Observer, Branyas Morera called for a revolution in treatment of the elderly, saying "This pandemic has revealed that older people are the forgotten ones of our society. They fought their whole lives, sacrificed time and their dreams for today's quality of life. They didn't deserve to leave the world in this way."
In January 2021, Branyas Morera received both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, making her one of the oldest validated supercentenarians to get vaccinated.
Longevity Records[]
On 22 December 2019, Branyas Morera became the oldest known living person in Spain, following the death of Josefa Santos Gonzalez. She became the last known living person in Spain born in 1907, following the death of Virtudes Tomas Navarro on 20 April 2020.
She became the last known (validated) living person in Europe born in 1907, following the death of Marie-Louise Berthelot on 16 January 2021.
Aside from being the oldest living validated person in Spain at the time of her death, Branyas Morera is also the oldest person ever born in the U.S. state of California, and was the oldest validated living emigrant in the world at the time of her death.
She became the last person living in Spain born in the 1900s decade, following the death of Saturnino de la Fuente Garcia on 18 January 2022.
She became the oldest validated living American-born person, following the death of Thelma Sutcliffe on 17 January 2022, as well as the the oldest validated living person born in the Americas, following the death of Antonia da Santa Cruz on 23 January 2022.
She became the third-oldest validated living person in the world, following the death of Kane Tanaka on 19 April 2022.
She became the last surviving validated emigrant born in 1907, following the death of Casilda Benegas on 28 June 2022.
She became the second-oldest validated living person in the world, as well as the oldest validated living emigrant in the world, following the death of Tekla Juniewicz on 19 August 2022.
She became the last surviving validated American-born person born in 1907, following the death of Bessie Hendricks on 3 January 2023.
She became the oldest validated living person in Europe and in the world, as well as the last known surviving European person born before 1909, following the death of Lucile Randon on 17 January 2023. In addition, she is currently the third-oldest validated European person ever.
On 21 April 2023, Branyas Morera surpassed Ana Vela-Rubio's final age of 116 years, 47 days to become the oldest validated person ever to have resided in Spain. Vela-Rubio still holds the record for being the oldest validated person ever born in Spain.
On 14 May 2023, Branyas Morera surpassed Tekla Juniewicz's final age of 116 years, 70 days to become the oldest validated emigrant ever.
She became the last surviving validated person born in 1907, following the death of Fusa Tatsumi on 12 December 2023.
She became the last surviving validated American-born person born before 1909, following the death of Edie Ceccarelli on 22 February 2024.
On 4 March 2024, Branyas Morera celebrated her 117th birthday, becoming only the 12th validated person to reach this age and the first person in history who lived in Spain to do so.
On 1 April 2024, Branyas Morera surpassed Misao Okawa’s final age of 117 years, 27 days to became one of the top-11 oldest people ever whose age has been validated by the GRG.
On 10 May 2024, Branyas Morera surpassed Delphia Welford´s final age of 117 years, 66 days to became one of the top-10 oldest people ever whose age has been validated by the GRG. She also became the second-oldest person ever born in the United States, behind Sarah Knauss.
On 25 May 2024, Branyas Morera surpassed Chiyo Miyako’s final age of 117 years, 81 days to became one of the top-9 oldest people ever whose age has been validated by the GRG.
On 20 July 2024, Branyas Morera surpassed Emma Morano’s final age of 117 years, 137 days to became one of the top-8 oldest people ever whose age has been validated by the GRG, as well as becoming the third-oldest European person ever.
Death[]
Maria Branyas Morera died in her sleep in her care home in Olot, Catalonia, Spain on 19 August 2024, at the age of 117 years, 168 days.
Following Branyas Morera's passing, Tomiko Itooka of Japan became the oldest validated living person in the world, Ethel Caterham of the UK became the oldest validated living person in Europe, Silveria Martin Diaz of Extremadura became the oldest known living person in Spain, Elizabeth Francis became the oldest known living American-born person and Angelina Torres Vallbona became the oldest known living person in Catalonia.
Gallery[]
External Links[]
References[]
- GRG World Supercentenarian Rankings List Gerontology Research Group
- CELEBRACION MÁS QUE CENTENARIA Residencia Tura, 16 March 2016
- Maria Branyes, la persona més gran de la Garrotxa, compleix 110 anys Olot Televisio, 4 March 2017 (via The Wayback Machine)
- Avui he felicitat en nom Olotuit a la Sra. Maria Branyas, que feia 110 anys... @EstanisVayreda on Twitter, 4 March 2017
- Maria Branyas es, con 112 años y 5 meses, la catalana de más edad El Periódico, 18 August 2019
- María Branyas, la anciana más longeva de España con 113 años, supera el coronavirus Mundo Deportivo, 11 May 2020
- 113-year-old coronavirus survivor: ‘The elderly are the forgotten ones of society’ The Observer, 16 May 2020
- És època d’obsequis i les persones velles sempre diem que no necessitem res. (Entire Thread) @MariaBranyas112 on Twitter, 20 December 2020
- Davant la incertesa i la manca de garantia del subministrament de les vacunes... @MariaBranyas112 on Twitter, 28 January 2021
- Quina alegria! He rebut la visita de la Fada. @MariaBranyas112 on Twitter, 3 July 2021
- I anem fent anys, ni més ni menys que 115. residenciatura on Instagram, 4 March 2022
- Catalonia's Maria Branyas becomes oldest living person on Earth at 115 Catalan News, 17 January 2023
- La persona más anciana del mundo es una mujer de 115 años que vive en una residencia de Olot (Girona) El País, 18 January 2023
- María Branyas és la persona més longeva del món: “allunyeu-vos de les persones tòxiques” La Vanguardia, 19 January 2023
- World’s oldest living person confirmed as US-born Spanish woman Guinness World Records, 19 January 2023
- Avui l'alcalde Miquel Noguer ha pogut conversar una estona amb la Maria Branyas, la dona més gran del món, que li ha recordat el seu passat a la ciutat. Ajuntament Banyoles on Twitter, 25 January 2023
- World’s oldest person on the keys to longevity: ‘stay away from toxic people’ The Guardian, 26 January 2023
- WORLD’S OLDEST PERSON TURNS 116: María Branyas Morera, American-born Spanish Woman, Achieves Rare Milestone Greatreporter, 3 March 2023
- Maria Branyas, la persona més gran del món, fa 116 anys Catalunya Ràdio, 4 March 2023
- Avui hem celebrat els 116 anys de Maria Branyas, àvia de la Cristina i besàvia de les nostres filles. xavier ferrer on Twitter, 4 March 2023
- World's oldest person, U.S.-born Spanish woman, turns 116 CBS News, 4 March 2023
- We are today with Maria Branyas @MariaBranyas112 the oldest person in the world with her wonderful 116 years Demografía (CSIC) on Twitter, 31 March 2023
- World's oldest person, 116-year-old Maria Branyas, receives visit from president Aragonès Catalan News, 1 April 2023
- Los 4 consejos de María Branyas, la mujer más anciana del mundo, para llegar a los 116 años El Español, 19 April 2023
- Esteller: "Maria Branyas va fer un pacte amb Déu per arribar fins als 110 anys i ara té por que l'hagi oblidat" Cadena SER, 18 May 2023
- LA SUPERÀVIA CATALANA La República, 9 June 2023
- Ahir la sra. Maria Branyas, resident del centre, va rebre un nou reconeixement residenciatura on Instagram, 22 November 2023
- World’s oldest person, Maria Branyas Morera, celebrates 117th birthday Guinness World Records, 4 March 2024
- World's oldest person Maria Branyas Morera turns 117: Scientists hope Spanish pensioner can help unlock the secrets of a long life Daily Mail UK, 4 March 2024
- California-born woman is the oldest person in the world The Hill, 5 March 2024
- World’s oldest woman Maria Branyas Morera turns 117 Kids News, 7 March 2024
- World’s oldest person, Maria Branyas Morera, dies aged 117 Guinness World Records, 20 August 2024
| Spain's Oldest Living Person Titleholders (V • E) |
|
Josefa Salas Mateo • Policarpa Perez Exposito • Josefa Llovet Llovet • Ramona Agudin-Fernandez • Antonia Diaz Garcia • Soledad Munoz • Salustiano Alvarez • Isabel Guijarro • Telesfora de la Torre-Mendizabal • Paulina Garcia-Lozano • Maria Villar Trespalacios • Aurelio Diaz • A. L. M. • Galo Leoz-Ortin • Maria Antonia Castro • Maria del Carmen Lopez • Gregorio Merino • Gabriela Izquierdo • F. M. M. • Antonio Urrea-Hernandez • Maria Esperanza Onieva • Joan Riudavets-Moll • Jorja Hernando • Victoriana Vazquez Barrero • Lucia Madaria-Vesga • Manuela Fernandez-Fojaco • Teresa Dosaigues • Andresa Guerrero-Ortiz • Felipa Gutierrez • Rosa Martinez • Francisco Fernandez • Francisca Garcia-Torres • Ana Vela-Rubio • Magdalena Oliver Gabarro • Josefa Santos Gonzalez • Maria Branyas Morera • Silveria Martin Diaz |