For someone who witnessed major events of history unfolding during their lifetime and lived for 117 years, having a ‘completely lucid mind’ and no heart disease is a result of miracles and following a healthy lifestyle. Spain’s Maria Branyas Morera has left behind a legacy of healthy living and she will continue to be a role model for longevity in several years to come.
The supercentenarian died in her sleep; her family informed it through a post on social media on Tuesday. “Maria Branyas has left us. She died as she wished: in her sleep, peacefully and without pain,” her family wrote on her account on X on Tuesday. “We will always remember her for her advice and her kindness.”
As per Guinness World Records, she was confirmed as the oldest living individual in 2023 following the death of France’s Lucile Randon.

Secrets to her longevity

Maria credited family members, friends, close connection with nature, emotional stability to be her secrets to longevity. “Order, tranquility, good connection with family and friends, contact with nature, emotional stability, no worries, no regrets, lots of positivity, and staying away from toxic people,” kept her healthy and hearty at 117.
“I think longevity is also about being lucky. Luck and good genetics,” she had told the Guinness World Records.
“She has never gone to the hospital, she has never broken any bones, she is fine, she has no pain,” her youngest daughter, Rosa Moret told regional Catalan television in 2023.
Her husband had passed away in 1976 and her elder son died when he was 86. Emotional stability plays a crucial role in promoting long life by fostering resilience and reducing stress, which can impact overall health. People who manage their emotions well tend to have lower levels of chronic stress, a key factor in preventing numerous health issues such as cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and weakened immune function.

She was born in 1907

Maria was born on March 4, 1907 in San Francisco, California. At the age of 8, she lost hearing in one ear.
Maria married Dr Joan Moret at the age of 24. The mother of three children worked as her husband’s assistant during the Spanish Civil War which happened from 1936 to 1939.
She survived the Spanish flu pandemic and the COVID pandemic. She had tested COVID positive at the age of 113 and recovered within a few days.