Maria Branyas Morera, the world’s oldest person, has passed away at the age of 117 in Spain. Branyas, who was recognized by Guinness World Records as the world’s oldest living person in January 2023, died peacefully in her sleep on Tuesday, according to a statement from her family.
Born on March 4, 1907, in San Francisco, California, Branyas moved to Spain with her family when she was just seven years old. She spent the remainder of her life in Catalonia, where she lived through some of the most tumultuous events of the 20th and 21st centuries, including both World Wars, the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic, the Spanish Civil War, and the recent COVID-19 pandemic, which she survived after contracting the virus at the age of 113.
Final Days and Farewell
Branyas lived the last two decades of her life in the Santa Maria del Tura nursing home in Olot, Catalonia. Just a day before her passing, she shared a poignant message on social media, expressing her sense that her time was near. “The time is near. Don’t cry, I don’t like tears. And above all, don’t suffer for me. Wherever I go, I will be happy,” she wrote.
Her longevity and resilience were a source of inspiration for many. Her youngest daughter, Rosa Moret, attributed Branyas’s long life to “genetics” and a life marked by order, tranquility, strong family connections, and avoiding toxic relationships. Despite her advanced age, Branyas remained remarkably lucid, with a clear memory of events from as early as four years old, as noted by researchers who studied her DNA.
Catalonia’s regional government head, Salvador Illa, expressed his condolences to Branyas’s family, calling her “Catalonia’s grandmother” and highlighting the wisdom she imparted through her long life. “We lose an endearing woman, who has taught us the value of life and the wisdom of the years,” Illa said.
A Remarkable Life Remembered
Branyas leaves behind a legacy that includes three children—one of whom has already passed—11 grandchildren, and numerous great-grandchildren. Reflecting on her life in a 2019 interview, she modestly stated, “I haven’t done anything extraordinary, the only thing I did was live.”
Following her death, Japan’s Tomiko Itooka, who is 116 years old, now holds the title of the world’s oldest living person. Maria Branyas Morera is remembered not only for her longevity but for her enduring spirit and the lessons she imparted to those who knew her.
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