World’s oldest known person, Sister André, dies aged 118
The world’s oldest known person, French nun Sister André, has died at age 118 in the southern French city of Toulon, the city’s mayor Hubert Falco said on Wednesday.
Born in the southern French town of Ales on February 11, 1904, as Lucile Randon, Sister André was listed as the oldest person alive by the Gerontology Research Group in April 2022.
The Frenchwoman worked as a home teacher in her youth and did not enter a religious community until she was in her early 40s.
Most recently, Sister André was confined to a wheelchair, and for several years she could no longer see properly.
She was an honorary citizen of Toulon, where she lived in a retirement home for several years.
Falco praised her as incredibly modern and a nun with a big heart.
Guinness World Records said Lucile, who took the name of Sister André in 1944, was the second-oldest French person and the second-oldest European person ever recorded.
More recently, Sister André received the record for the oldest COVID-19 survivor after an infection in 2021.
“It’s difficult to fathom that someone born before the patenting of plastic, zips, or even bras were alive well into the 21st century and robust enough to beat COVID-19,” the Guinness World Records editor, Craig Glenday, said in a statement. “It’s been an honour to record her story in the pages of the Guinness World Records book, and she will live on in history as the fourth oldest person ever authenticated.’’
With her death, Maria Branyas Morera, who lived in Spain, assumed the title of the world’s oldest person at age 115.
(Dpa/NAN)
We have recently deactivated our website's comment provider in favour of other channels of distribution and commentary. We encourage you to join the conversation on our stories via our Facebook, Twitter and other social media pages.
More from Peoples Gazette
Agriculture
FG tasks ECOWAS on leveraging financing strategies for agroecology
The federal government has urged stakeholders in the agriculture and finance sectors in the West Africa region to leverage financing strategies to enhance agroecology practices
Politics
Katsina youths pledge to deliver over 2 million votes to Atiku
“Katsina State is Atiku’s political base because it is his second home.”
Heading 5
Floods kill 44 people, leave more than one million stranded in Bangladesh
Many households remain trapped in their communities, stranded without food, clean water, and electricity.
States
Olubadan lauds Tinubu on release of Oriire kidnap victims, urges rehabilitation
“As a follow-up to this development, the government must ensure that all communities bordering the National Park are fully secure,” he said.
Heading 1
Iran’s new supreme leader vows revenge over father’s assassination by U.S.-Israeli forces
“We pledge to avenge the blood of the martyred leader and all the martyrs of these two wars from the criminal and disgraced killers,” he said.
Heading 4
Trump administration subpoenas New York Times journalists over Air Force One story
The subpoenas seek to compel the reporters to testify before a federal grand jury in Manhattan.
Heading 2
Klopp agrees to replace Nagelsmann as Germany coach
Nagelsmann resigned last week as the men’s national team coach following Germany’s shocking exit from the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Health
FG expands cancer funding, local drug production
“We are trying to domesticate expensive treatments by producing much-needed medicines locally and translating global research into action in our clinics,” he said.
