Maria Branyas Morera, a 117-year-old American-born Spaniard believed to be the world's oldest person, has died, her family announced on Tuesday. The news was first reported by Sky News.
"Maria Branyas has left us. She has gone the way she wanted: in her sleep, at peace, and without pain," her family wrote in a post on Morera's X account. They shared that in the days leading up to her death, she had told them: "I don't know when, but very soon this long journey will come to an end. Death will find me worn down from having lived so much, but I want to meet it with a smile, feeling free and satisfied."
Morera had been residing at the Residencia Santa Maria Del Tura, a nursing home in the Catalan town of Olot, for the past 23 years. Born in San Francisco on March 4, 1907, she moved to Spain with her family when she was young.
The Gerontology Research Group, which validates details of people thought to be 110 or older, had listed Ms Morera as the world's oldest known person following the passing of French nun Lucile Randon last year. With Ms Morera's death, the title now passes to Tomiko Itooka of Japan, who is 116 years old.
In November last year, scientist Manel Esteller spoke to ABC about Ms Morera's remarkable mental acuity despite her advanced age. "She remembers with impressive clarity events from when she was only four years old, and she does not present any cardiovascular disease, common in elderly people," he said. Esteller also noted a potential genetic component to her longevity, stating, "It is clear that there is a genetic component because there are several members of her family who are over 90 years old."
World's Oldest Person Dies in Spain at 117
Maria Branyas Morera, the world's oldest living person, has passed away at the age of 117 in Spain. Born in the United States and a survivor of two world wars, Branyas spent the last two decades of her life at the Santa Maria del Tura… pic.twitter.com/suY0DNJyCi
— Sunrise Africa (@sunriseafrica_) August 20, 2024
Morera's passing marks the end of an era, as she was one of the last living links to the early 20th century. Her life spanned numerous historical events and technological advancements, from the Wright brothers' first flight to the digital age.
