A Great-great-grandmother aged 119 is believed to be ‘oldest’ person in world.
Deolira Glicéria Pedro da Silva puts her longevity down to never drinking or smoking.
But she does love a cup of coffee.
Widow Deolira is fit and well and takes no medication.
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She has perfect eyesight but struggles to walk and her hearing has gone.
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Deolira’s three siblings have passed away, as did her husband about 20 years ago.
She had seven children, three of whom are still alive.
She has 20 grandchildren, 40 great-grandchildren, and 37 great-great-grandchildren.
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She turned 119 last Sunday (10 Mar), according to her family and her national ID card.
She celebrated her birthday with a simple cake and was surrounded by her large family.
The world’s oldest person, according to the Guinness World Records, is Maria Branyas Morera from Catalonia, Spain, who turned 117 on 4 March.
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But Deolira is the true record holder, her family believes.
Geriatrician Juair de Abreu Pereira has been seeing her for two years and says she’s in tip-top condition for her advanced age.
He told local media: “Deolira is interactive and lucid.
“She’s in great shape according to the comprehensive geriatric evaluation, but due to her advanced age, she can’t walk and has some hearing loss.”
Incredibly, she doesn’t take any meds and has perfect vision, her family says.
Deolira was allegedly born on a farm in Porciúncula, near Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 1905 and worked in the fields until she was 80.
She now lives in Itaperuna with her daughter and granddaughters, who take care of her.
She gets around using a wheelchair after a fall more than 10 years ago took away her mobility.
One of her granddaughters Leida Ferreira da Silva, 63, told local media: “My grandma uses a wheelchair because she fell and fractured her pelvis, but she didn’t need surgery.
“My uncle, at the time, didn’t allow the operation.
“The wheelchair, by the way, is quite old.”
Researchers at the University of São Paulo have taken samples of Deolira’s blood for analysis.
They hope to learn the secret to her longevity.
Dr Mateus Vidal told local media: “Deolira’s case is quite rare and worth studying because she exceeds the Brazilian life expectancy, which is around 75 years, by at least 50 years.
“She also lived through the Covid-19 pandemic.
“So, we’re very keen on studying her for all these reasons.”
Another granddaughter, Doroteia Ferreira da Silva, who’s one of her carers, told local media: “It’s hard to beat my grandma, you know?
“She was really active around the house. She took care of the house, the garden, tended to the pigs and the chickens.
“When it comes to food, the only thing she doesn’t eat is pineapple because she’s allergic.”
Deolira never smoked or drank, but she still can’t resist a cup of coffee, her favourite drink, according to her granddaughter Leila.
Doroteia said: “She puts us all to shame.
“I reckon grandma will make it to 130, and we’ll be long gone.”
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