Maria Branyas Morera, who was born in 1907 in San Francisco, celebrated her 117th birthday on March 4. She is recognized as the world’s oldest living person, having survived two world wars, the Spanish Flu, and Covid-19. Guinness World Records (GWR) shared a post on Instagram about her remarkable milestone.

In their Instagram post, GWR highlighted that Maria Branyas Morera was confirmed as the oldest living person in January 2023. She moved to Spain with her family when she was eight and has lived in Catalonia ever since. For the past 23 years, she has resided in the same nursing home.

Maria Branyas: Life at 117 for an unintentional supercentenarian | Science  | EL PAÍS English

Maria attributes her longevity not only to “luck and good genetics” but also to maintaining “order, tranquillity, good connections with family and friends, contact with nature, emotional stability, no worries, no regrets, lots of positivity, and avoiding toxic people.”

On her 117th birthday, Maria celebrated quietly with her family and staff at her nursing home. Eva Carrera Boix, the director of the home, mentioned that Maria was grateful for the congratulations and interest in her health. The post about Maria on Instagram has garnered nearly 180,000 likes and numerous comments.

Instagram users have expressed admiration and wonder about Maria’s long life, noting her experience through major historical events and wishing her continued health. Despite some hearing and mobility issues, Maria remains in good condition overall.