World's Oldest Person Maria Branyas Morera Dies at 117

Maria Branyas Morera, the world's oldest person at 117, passed away peacefully in her sleep at a nursing home in Catalonia, Spain. Born in San Francisco in 1907, Maria lived through significant historical events including two World Wars, the Spanish Civil War, and the 1918 flu pandemic. Despite testing positive for COVID-19 at 113, she made a full recovery. Following her death, Tomiko Itooka, a 116-year-old Japanese woman known for her active lifestyle and mountaineering, is set to be recognized by the Guinness World Records as the world's oldest living person. Britain's oldest woman, Ethel May Caterham, recently celebrated her 115th birthday, crediting her longevity to doing whatever she likes and never arguing. Both Morera and Caterham's stories highlight the impact of lifestyle choices and positive outlook on longevity.