Posted on 09/27/2024 5:29:18 PM PDT by Morgana
A South African woman celebrated her '118th birthday' today as one of the oldest people in the world with a small party at her care home.
Margaret Maritz joined other residents, carers and two of her daughters for celebrations at the home in Touws River, 110 miles northeast of Cape Town.
She was born on September 27, 1906, according to a copy of her identity card.
The document has not been independently verified but if confirmed would make Maritz the world's oldest living person.
The current record-holder is Japanese national Tomiko Itooka who was born on May 23, 1908.
Alongside two of her 14 children, Maritz blew out a candle on a large pink birthday cake at the party in the small town of Touws River.
'She talks about her life as a young woman, (saying) you must respect your mother and your father,' a senior nurse at the home, Gregory Elroy Adams, told AFP.
'She didn't drink, she didn't smoke.'
'We must be grateful,' said one of her daughters, Liza Daniels, 67.
'I don't know if I will reach that age one day.
'But for me it's a very, very big privilege to have a mother that reaches this age.'
Mrs Martiz, known affectionately as 'Ouma Honderd' (Grandma Hundred), reportedly cannot recall some of her earlier memories as she has mild dementia.
Michael Fortuin, the manager of her care home, said her wider family are planning to visit her on Sunday.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
Happy Birthday Margaret
I hope you live to see 119
Born less than 3 years after the Wright Brothers first flight.
If one of her daughters is 67, she had her at around age 50.
Talk about geriatric pregnancy.
It’s possible. A woman in India gave birth at 74.
My mother was born exactly 29 years after this woman. Exactly. Happy Birthday Mom (she’s 89).
Meh. I know a Jack Russell Terrier that’ll be 17 in December.
Happy birthday to your mom! My mom just passed this week and she had turned 89 in June.
Sorry....don’t believe it and her age has not been proven.
My Mother In Law turns 90 next week. Right now she has a huge oak tree laying on her house and the roof is leaking. Repair crews can’t get to her area.
She is in Asheville, NC. The hurricane blew the tree over.
Too bad one of those kids can’t step up and house her.
My condolences for your loss. I am going to see mom Sunday. I think I will give her an extra hug.
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