Maria de Jesus was named ''World''s Oldest Person'' by Guinness World Records after the death of Edna Parker on 26 November, 2008. At the time of her death De Jesus age was 115 years and 114 days.
Born in Portugal, De Jesus was teetotal farmer, who never went to school, and could not write. She married Jose dos Santos in 1919 and became a widow in 1951, when she was 57. As common in Portugal she did not use her husband''s last name. Jesus worked on the land for her entire life and lived in her own house instead of a nursing home.
De Jesus never smoked, drank neither alcohol nor coffee. She liked eating vegetables but avoided eating meat, though she did eat fish. Jesus and visited the hospital only once in her life time and was reportedly a healthy person, with the exception of her mobility, which deteriorated over her last years. And, despite deteriorating health, she refused to go to a nursing home and chose to stay in her farmhouse instead.
De Jesus remained fairly responsive until her last days; she was able to smile and wave to visitors. However, she could no longer recognize her family, because of serious problems with her sight and hearing. She could, however, still walk around with the aid of a mobility scooter and walking frame.
She enjoyed looking through her old family albums, sunbathing at her porch, eating Portuguese rice pudding and ice cream, as well as taking baths.
Ref : www.seniorsworldchronicle.com
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