Maria Branyas, the oldest person in the world and the eighth oldest in history, passed away on Monday at the age of 117 in Olot. The Catalan woman had been in delicate health in the last months, as her own family had announced on her social media profile. “I feel weak. The time is near. Do not cry, I do not like tears,” she tweeted early on Monday.
Finally, Branyas has been cremated this Tuesday morning, as confirmed by La Vanguardia. This has also been reaffirmed by relatives through X, where it has been specified that the passing took place instantly while she was sleeping and did not involve any kind of pain.
Branyas was born on March 4, 1907 in San Francisco, USA. Her father, a journalist, had moved there after a period in Mexico and eventually became the editor of the magazine “Mercurio”. She spent her early childhood in the United States and, still a young girl, returned with her family to Spain. After living in various Catalan towns, she settled more than twenty years ago in the residence in Olot where she spent her last years.
The return to Catalonia with her family, when she was only 7 years old, took place in 1914, right in the midst of the outbreak of the first major war of the 20th century. “We arrived by boat. Because of the war, Germany was attacking the north and you couldn’t cross the northern seas, so we had to go through the Azores and Cuba,” she explained.
Branyas entered the top 10 of the longest-living people in 2024
The Gerontology Research Group (GRG), responsible for verifying dates of birth and death for the Guinness World Records longevity list, confirmed in May of this 2024 that Branyas was the eighth oldest person and woman to have ever lived. Until now, she was the only one in the ranking who was still alive today
In addition, also known as the Súper Àvia Catalana (Super Catalan Granny), she held the title of the oldest living person from the age of 115. She inherited it from the French nun Lucile Randon, who passed away on January 17, 2023.
Despite being aware that her age was a historical milestone, the supercentenarian did not give it much importance, as her daughter, Rosa Moret, confessed to La Vanguardia. “She says this is not a merit of hers or anyone,” she assured. Her case is being used to study the secret of longevity.
And for Branyas, celebrating birthdays was “a gift,” as detailed in her X profile. On more than one occasion, she also encouraged her followers to enjoy life, as it “is not eternal for anyone.”
