By Anna Kaplan—
Today
A 114-year-old woman living in Houston, Texas, has become the oldest living person in the United States, according to LongeviQuest, an organization that tracks human longevity around the world.
Elizabeth Francis
is now the oldest American, at 114 years and 217 days, after Edie Ceccarelli died at age 116 on February 22 in California, according to the organization.
Francis is also now the fifth oldest person in the world, LongeviQuest noted.
She is also included on the list of supercentenarians — people aged 110 or older — validated by the Gerontology Research Group, which tracks the world's oldest people.
Elizabeth FrancisCourtesy of Ethel Harrison
“There is no secret (to longevity).
“It is the good blessing of the Lord,” Francis said in an interview in August 2023. “I just thank God for being here.”
Francis was born on July 25, 1909, a few months after William Taft was inaugurated president and 11 years before women gained the right to vote in the United States.
She has lived through two world wars, the Spanish flu and the COVID-19 pandemic
.
The supercentenarian lives with her 94-year-old daughter, Dorothy Williams, in a private residence where caregivers come every day, said Ethel Harrison, Francis' granddaughter.
“It's incredible,” said Harrison, 68.
“We are very grateful that she is still here, and my mother, who is her daughter — she only had one — she is also still alive.”
A family full of life
Longevity runs in the family: One of his sisters lived to be 106 and his father died at 99, Harrison explained.
Harrison stated that Francis has some memory problems and is confined to her bed, but is mentally alert and recognizes her family.
“She tries to do as much good as she can for everyone.
She loves everyone,” Francis added.
Harrison shared some of Francis' healthy habits, such as strengthening his social connections and supportive relationships, eating fresh, homemade foods, and having faith.
“She always did things to stay healthy,” Harrison said.
“Her life has been quite simple.
She didn't go to parties or anything like that.
She was more of a homebody.
She went to church.”
Francis' granddaughter added that her grandmother never smoked or drank alcohol, and walked regularly until she was 90.