Guinness World Records (GWR) has announced with deep sadness the passing of Maria Branyas Morera, the world’s oldest person, who died on August 19, 2024.
She was 117 years and 168 days old, making her the eighth-oldest person with a verifiable age in history. The Gerontology Research Group confirmed her death, and her family shared the news on social media.
GWR released a statement confirming her death: “Maria passed away peacefully at the nursing home in Catalonia, Spain, where she resided for the past two decades.” The statement further noted that she died on Monday.
On Tuesday, her family posted on her X account to announce her passing. They wrote, “She has gone the way she wanted: in her sleep, at peace, and without pain.” The family also shared a touching final message from Maria: “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 it to find me smiling, free, and satisfied.”
Maria Branyas was confirmed as the world’s oldest living person by GWR in January 2023, following the death of French nun Sister André, who was 118.
Reflecting on her longevity, Maria attributed her long life to “order, tranquility, good connection with family and friends, contact with nature, emotional stability, no worries, no regrets, lots of positivity, and staying away from toxic people.” She added, “I think longevity is also about being lucky. Luck and good genetics.”
Born on March 4, 1907, in San Francisco, California, Maria’s birth came less than four years after the Wright Brothers’ first powered flight and two years before the Titanic’s construction began. Her family, having emigrated from Spain to the U.S., returned to Spain in 1915 amidst World War I.
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During their trans-Atlantic voyage, eight-year-old Maria fell from an upper deck while playing with her brothers, resulting in permanent hearing loss in one ear. Tragically, her father succumbed to tuberculosis towards the end of the journey.
The family settled in Barcelona and later moved to Banyoles in northeastern Catalonia. At the age of 24 in 1931. Maria married Dr. Joan Moret, and they had three children. The couple worked together during the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939) to treat wounded soldiers, and Maria continued working as her husband’s assistant after the war. Dr. Moret passed away in 1976 more than 46 years ago when he was 71, and Maria also outlived her eldest son August, who died at the age of 86.
Maria Branyas lived through two World Wars, the Spanish Civil War, the Spanish Flu pandemic, and survived COVID-19 in 2020 at the age of 113. She made a full recovery from the virus, briefly holding the title of the world’s oldest COVID-19 survivor before Lucile Randon surpassed this record.
Maria celebrated her 117th birthday earlier this year at her nursing home in Olot, Catalonia. She posted to mark the occasion: ‘Good morning, world. Today I turn 117 years old. I’ve come this far.’ Despite her advanced age, she remained active on social media, regularly updating her more than 16,000 followers on X about her health.
Her X account is called ‘Super Catalan Grandma’ and bears the description: ‘I am old, very old, but not an idiot.’
Late in her life, Branyas agreed to undergo testing by scientists who hoped to learn more about the secrets to a long life.
They collected samples of her saliva, blood and urine to compare with her daughter, who is in her eighties, in the hope that they might help with developing drugs to fight age-associated diseases.
Scientist Manel Esteller told Spanish news outlet ABC at the time: “She has a completely lucid head.”
Experts had marveled at her mental and physical health, but in a heartbreaking final message to her social media followers on Tuesday, she warned that she felt ‘weak’.
‘”The time is near. Don’t cry, I don’t like tears. And above all, don’t suffer for me,’ she said on the account, which is run by her family. ‘Wherever I go, I will be happy.’ Her family confirmed that despite her mobility issues and being hard of hearing, her mind remained clear and engaged.
Maria Branyas is survived by two children, eleven grandchildren, and thirteen great-grandchildren. Her passing marks the end of a remarkable life filled with resilience and longevity. Our thoughts are with her family during this time.
Following Maria Branyas Morera’s death, the title of the oldest living person now belongs to Tomiko Itooka of Japan, born on May 23, 1908, who is currently 116 years old. The record for the oldest person ever recorded remains with Jeanne Louise Calment, who lived to 122 years and 164 days
