At the age of 114, Elizabeth Francis has claimed the No. 1 spot — she is the oldest living American.
Francis’ achievement was announced by LongeviQuest, an organization that tracks human longevity throughout the world.
The Houston woman, whose exact age is 114 years and 217 days, became the oldest living American after her predecessor, Edie Ceccarelli, died 116 years of age on Feb. 22 in California, according to LongeviQuest.
According to LongeviQuest, she is now the fifth-oldest person in the world.
Francis previously talked with “The Today Show” about her longevity.
“It’s not my secret. It’s the good Lord’s good blessing,” Francis told “Today” in August 2023. “I just thank God I’m here.”
Francis was born on July 25, 1909, and in her lifetime saw two World Wars, the Spanish Flu and the COVID pandemic, Today reported.
Francis lives with her 94-year-old daughter, Dorothy Williams, in a private residence. Caregivers go to the home every day, Francis’ granddaughter Ethel Harrison told Today.
“It’s just amazing,” Harrison, 68, said. “We’re so grateful that she’s still here, and my mom, who’s her daughter — she only had one child — is still alive also.”
Harrison told “Today” that “Francis has some memory problems and is confined to her bed, but she’s mentally alert and recognizes her family,” the outlet reported.
Francis’ advice for longevity is a simple one — love.
“Try to do the best thing you can to everybody. Love everybody,” Francis said.
Harrison told “Today” Francis has a couple more secrets up her sleeve to living a long life.
This includes “having social connections and supportive relationships, eating fresh, home-cooked foods and having faith,” “Today” reported.
“She tried to do things to stay healthy,” Harrison said. “Her life basically was pretty simple. She didn’t go out to parties and stuff like that. She was more of a homebody. She would go to church.”
She also never smoked or drank alcohol. She also walked regularly until she hit her early 90s.
