https://longeviquest.com/2025/05/brazilian-maria-jorge-esteves-de-almeida-turns-113/

Brazilian Maria Jorge Esteves de Almeida Turns 113

Maria Jorge Esteves de Almeida, a resident of Catanduva, São Paulo, Brazil, is celebrating her 113th birthday today. She celebrated her birthday surrounded by family, including her two daughters, now aged 83 and 88.

Early Life

Maria Jorge Esteves de Almeida was born in Tocha, Coimbra District, Portugal, on 28 May 1912. Her parents were Augusto Jorge Esteves and Joaquina Jorge. When she was about a year old, her father traveled to Brazil in search of better job opportunities. Meanwhile, she stayed behind in Tocha with her family for approximately five years. Then, in 1917, she journeyed by ship to Brazil with her mother and paternal uncle. Upon arriving in Santos, São Paulo, her father met them and immediately took them to Minas Gerais, where her uncle Júlio had already established himself. Soon after, she and her parents moved to Pindorama, São Paulo, where she spent the rest of her childhood.

Life in Brazil

On 11 May 1933, she married Raul de Almeida in Pindorama. The couple made their home there and raised two daughters, Sylvia and Maria Helena. After many years together, Raul passed away on 10 March 1998. A few years later, Maria chose to move to Catanduva to live with her daughters, no longer wanting to be alone. She eventually settled permanently with her eldest daughter.

According to her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, the secret to her longevity lies in her boundless zest for life, her love of freedom, independence, self-assurance, and her resilient spirit.

Her age was verified by Iara Souza, Gabriel Ainsworth, and Filipe Lopes, and validated on 23 October 2024.

At the moment, she is the oldest living person in the state of São Paulo, and the 5th-oldest known in Brazil.

Happy 113th Birthday!