Hester Ford from South Carolina has lived through two world wars and two pandemics. I barely survived lockdown.
Hester, now a supercentenarian, is undoubtedly a remarkable woman. She has 12 children, 68 grandchildren, 125 great-grandchildren, and 120 great-great-grandchildren. That’s approximately six coaches filled with family members or enough for a small army.
Most of her family turned up to see their matriarch celebrating her birthday pandemic style.
To celebrate safely, well-wishers drove past Hester Ford’s house on August 15th, leaving gifts at the end of the driveway to celebrate safely.
When asked what Hester’s secret was to living so long, she replied; “I just live right that’s all”.
For comparison, as of today, the oldest known living person is Kane Tanaka of Japan, aged 117. That’s only one year older than Hester!
Supercentenarians are the most common in Japan, which boasts to have more than 71,000 centenarians. What is Japan’s secret? many have attributed it to healthy culinary traditions, however, Japan has also been keeping meticulous birth records for more than a century. This could skew figures from other countries, such as America who have not kept such accurate records.
In fact, there is even dispute over Hester Ford’s age, the Charlotte Observer reported, as there are two separate census documents stating different dates of birth, a year apart.
Whether Hester Ford is 115 or 116, it’s amazing how mobile she is for her age. She can still walk short distances using her zimmer frame and has only recently had additional help around the home.
Happy birthday Hester!
