The world's oldest person, Spanish woman Maria Branyas Morera, has passed away at the age of 117. Branyas lived a long life and witnessed many significant historical events, including two world wars, the Spanish flu pandemic, the Spanish Civil War, and the COVID-19 pandemic. Before her death, Branyas shared an emotional message on social media, stating: "The time has come. Do not cry, as I do not like tears, and above all, do not suffer for me; wherever I go, I will be happy."
Born in San Francisco in 1907, Branyas' family returned to Spain during World War I. She spent the last two decades of her life in a nursing home in Spain, where she celebrated her 117th birthday last March. Branyas had good mental and physical health until recently and regularly used social media to engage with her followers. Following Branyas' death, Japanese woman Tomiko Itoka, aged 116, becomes the oldest living person in the world.
