Born the same year the Wright Brothers made their first public flights, Tomiko Itooka has a life as extraordinary as her age.
The Japanese Tomiko Itooka He has become the oldest living person in the world, at 116 years old, after the death of the Spanish Maria Branyasof 117, according to the Guinness World Records.
Her age and date of birth (May 23, 1908) have been confirmed by the Gerontological Research Group, which validates data from people believed to be 110 years old or older, and has placed her at the top of its World List of Supercentenarians.
Itooka, a mother of four, currently lives in a nursing home in Ashiya City. When told that she had become the oldest person, she responded, “Thank you,” a phrase she also often conveys to the caregivers at her residence, proving that she is never too old to be polite.
Born in OsakaItooka was a volleyball player in high school. She married at the age of 20 and had two daughters and two sons.according to Guinness. During the Second World Warmanaged the office of her husband’s textile factory.
She has enjoyed an incredibly active life, even after the death of her husband in 1979. She lived alone in Nara Prefecture for a decade, and often I practiced mountaineeringlike climbing Mount Nijo in the KongÅ mountain range.
At 70 years old, climbed Mount Ontake, 3,067 meters, twiceand surprised his guide by doing so in sneakers instead of hiking boots. At 80 he participated in the pilgrimage of the 33 Kannon of Osakavisiting 33 temples, and at 100 he climbed the stone steps of the Japanese shrine of Ashiya without the help of a cane.
In the midst of all his adventures, Itooka continues to enjoy the simple pleasure of eating bananas and start the day with his favorite yogurt-flavored drink, Calpis. Three months ago she celebrated her birthday with flowers, a cake and a card from the mayor.
Who is the oldest living European?
The oldest living European is Ethel Caterham, a UK supercentenarian who just turned 115 on August 21st. He is the last surviving person born in the United Kingdom during the reign of Edward VII.
For 50 years, Mrs Caterham has lived in Surrey, where she played bridge until a few years ago and he stopped driving at 97 years old.
Now residing in an Ash Valey residence, surprisingly, he survived a COVID-19 infection during the 2020 pandemic.
In a 2020 interview with BBC Radio Surrey, he shared his secret to longevity: “I’ve taken everything in my stride, the ups and downs. I’ve been all over the world and ended up in this lovely home, where everyone “He goes out of his way for me, giving me everything I want.”
Well done.
