Maria Branyas Morera, the world’s oldest living person, has passed away at the age of 117, her family announced on Tuesday. Branyas, who was born in the United States and lived through two world wars, died peacefully in her sleep at the Santa Maria del Tura nursing home in Olot, northeastern Spain.
Guinness World Records had recognized Branyas as the world’s oldest person in January 2023, following the death of French nun Lucile Randon at the age of 118. Branyas’s remarkable life spanned over a century, and she had become an inspiration to many.
In a poignant message on her social media account, run by her family, Branyas had hinted at her impending passing, saying, “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.”
With Branyas’s passing, Japan’s Tomiko Itooka, born on May 23, 1908, becomes the world’s oldest living person at 116 years old, according to the US Gerontology Research Group.
Branyas’s family remembered her for her kindness and advice, saying, “We will always remember her for her advice and her kindness.” Her legacy will live on, inspiring future generations to come.
