We wrote about Emma Morano last year when she turned 116. And now, we are writing to let you know that Ms. Morano, the last person documented as being born in the 1800s, died peacefully on April 15 at 117 years, 137 days, 16 hours and a couple minutes old.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zRPjsW_IuCU

As a teenager, Ms. Morano moved to Verbania, a small town on Lake Maggiore, in Piedmont, because her doctor told her to “change air” and she never left. Many have long wondered how she lived as long as she did. Was it the lake? The three raw eggs she ate every day? Or the fact that after separating from her husband in 1938, she never married again (she had one child from that marriage)?

Or was it the fact that she kept busy, working until she was 75. She also had a cat and cooked for herself until she was 112 (normally it was pasta to which she added raw ground beef). In fact, until she was 115, she lived alone- one of her niece reports her being quite “house-proud” even laying out newspapers on the floor so visitor’s feet wouldn’t dirty it!

No one knows, but, for the last 27 years, she has spent her life in a tiny two-room church-owned apartment with little, but very meaningful, possessions. In fact, it’s likely that few of us would understand owning very little:

Next to her bed, Ms. Morano had photos of her parents and siblings, one of which died just before her 100th birthday, another who lived to 102 (five sisters and three brothers), and some religious images. Then, inside the drawer of her nightstand was a supermarket anti-aging cream that she had applied every night before going to bed. She stopped wearing her crucifixes a couple years ago but they were hung with care.

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She was a simple woman who wore a combination of a housedress and vest or shawl (or both) for the last years of her life. She had few possessions. She ate simple meals. She cleaned and took care of her things.

Sounds like her long life can be attributed to ZERO STRESS. (Oh, and living by that lake probably didn’t hurt, either!)

Source: NY Times