A Texas woman turned 115 on Thursday, becoming the oldest living person in the United States, celebrating the special day with her 94-year-old daughter.
Elizabeth Frances was born on July 25, 1909, in St. Mary Parish, Louisiana, during the term of President William Howard Taft. report.
As a black American woman, Frances lived before the civil rights movement, the 19th Amendment that gave women the right to vote, two world wars, and the moon landing.
On her last birthday, a film crew from Norway and researchers from Florida visited the centenarian to find out the secret of her longevity.
When asked, “How does it feel to be 114 years old?” Francis replied, Said“I don’t know. I just thank God for protecting me.”
Her daughter, Dorothy Williams, said people react immediately when they tell her their mother’s age.
“They don’t say you’re crazy, they just say you’re lying,” Williams said. Said ABC13 — The studio where Francis worked in a coffee shop in the 1970s.
“It’s hard to believe, but it’s a blessing,” added the 94-year-old. “She was a wonderful mother and grandmother to all of us. She was our rock.”
Frances’ 69-year-old granddaughter and caregiver, Ethel Harrison, attributes her husband’s longevity to a healthy lifestyle.
“My mom always grew vegetables in the backyard. I never saw her go to Chick-fil-A or any of the fast food places that I go to. She just didn’t do that,” Harrison told the outlet.
“You’d go over to her house and she’d be cooking any day of the week, so I think that was a big factor,” she explained, “how she took care of herself and stuff like that.”
Frances also has two grandchildren, five great-grandchildren and four great-great-grandchildren.
It may also be genetic: Francis’ sister lived to an astounding 106 years, making her one of the longest-lived siblings on record.
“I think it’s about generosity, about being generous,” Harrison says, “treating people the way you want to be treated. Sometimes it may not be reciprocated, but that’s not what God wants. God wants you to be generous and kind.”
Frances says her faith in God has sustained her.
“It’s a blessing. It’s the Lord’s blessing,” she said after turning 114 in 2023.
She doesn’t smoke or drink alcohol, except for the occasional glass of wine. USA Today report.
