World’s oldest person Spanish pensioner Maria Branyas Morera dies aged 117

The woman’s family announced the centurion’s passing with a heartfelt message.

The world’s oldest person has died at the age of 117 after sharing a heartbreaking final message.

Spanish pensioner Maria Branyas Morera lived through two world wars and a global pandemic with her family revealing she passed away “peacefully and without pain”.

Her family announced the tragic passing on X, saying: “Maria Branyas has left us.

“She died as she wished: in her sleep, peacefully and without pain.

“We will always remember her for her advice and her kindness.”

Maria was a huge fan of social media, sharing weekly updates with her followers on X, The Sun reports.

In a heartbreaking final message on Tuesday, the elderly woman warned that she felt “weak” and that the “time is near”.

The post said: “The time is near. Don’t cry, I don’t like tears. And above all, don’t suffer for me.

“Wherever I go, I will be happy.”

Picture of Maria from 1925 when she was just 18. Picture: Supplied

Maria scooped the incredible title of the world’s oldest living person after French nun Lucile Randon died aged 118 in January last year.

Before her death Maria agreed to undergo scientific testing by researchers who hoped to gain valuable insight into the secrets to long life.

Researchers have collected samples of Maria’s saliva, blood and urine and will compare them with those of her 80-year-old daughter.

Scientists hope that studying Maria’s genes will help with the development of drugs which could combat diseases associated with ageing.

Maria got married in 1931 to a Catalan doctor named Joan Moret as the pair went on to have three children.

While her husband passed away in 1976, Maria has outlived their only son, August, who died in a tragic tractor accident at the age of 86.

She now has two daughters, 11 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.

Maria played the piano from when she was a child to the age of 108 years old when she lost the nimbleness in her fingers.

Brave Maria also survived Covid-19, which she contracted only a few weeks after turning 113.

This article appeared in The Sun and was republished with permission.