I have made a gallery/biography in tribute to this iconic person like I did for Edie Ceccarelli several months ago.

Photos from Gerontology Wiki and LongeviQuest.

Near the dawn of the 20th century, Joseph Branyas Julià and Teresa Morera Laque moved from Catalonia, Spain to the United States. On the fourth day of March, in the year 1907, they welcomed into the world their second daughter, Maria. 

A few years later, the family moved eastward, first to Texas and then to New Orleans.

Maria (centre) with her family in New Orleans in 1911

With her father in 1914

Due to her father's financial troubles, they decided to return to Catalonia in 1915. During this voyage, Maria suffered a fall, becoming permanently deaf in one ear. Sadly, this was not the worst thing to happen on the trip back, as her father passed away from tuberculosis near the end; her mother would later remarry.

The family settled first in Barcelona and then in the smaller town of Banyoles.

Aged 15, in 1922

Aged 18, in 1925

Then, she met the love of her life, traumatologist Joan Moret, whom she married on 16 July 1931.

On her wedding day

Together, they had three kids; first a son, August, and then two daughters, Teresa and Rosa.

With her eldest daughter Teresa, in 1938

While she was raising her young children, the Spanish Civil War sent her country into chaos and Maria was employed as a nurse, working alongside her husband in a hospital in Extremadura.

With Teresa, in 1944

Joan became the director of a hospital, and Maria worked as his assistant. Sadly, her husband passed away in 1976.

With her husband in 1976, shortly before his death

During her retirement years, Maria spent lots of time travelling the world.

In Belgium, in 1979

In Scotland, in 1980

She had a passion for music and enjoyed playing the piano.

Aged 87, in 1985

She also loved dogs of all shapes and sizes.

Aged 92/93, in 2000

Her family continued to grow and Maria continued to be a loving mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother.

Aged 96, in 2003

In 2007, Maria achieved the milestone of 100 years, officially becoming a centenarian.

Aged 100, in 2007

As her age climbed higher into the triple digits, she continued to stay remarkably healthy and active.

Aged 102, in 2009

Aged 104, in 2011

In 2017, she acheieved the remarkable feat of becoming a supercentenarian.

On her 110th birthday in 2017

Sadly, Maria lost her eldest child, August, in June 2018.

Aged 111, in 2018

Aged 112, in 2019

In the final month of 2019, her longevity reached new heights when she became the oldest person in Spain. Her family then created a social media account for her, which would make posts reflecting many of her thoughts and feelings over the next few years, allowing the whole world to understand her beautiful personality.

Maria's Twitter/X account, "Super Avia Catalana"

On her 113th birthday in 2020

Shortly after becoming a teenager for the second time, Maria contracted COVID-19, making her the oldest person to have the disease (this record would later be beaten). Amazingly, she managed to recover and was interviewed by the press afterwards; "This pandemic has revealed that older people are the forgotten ones of our society. They fought their whole lives, sacrificed time and their dreams for today's quality of life. They didn't deserve to leave the world in this way".

On her 114th birthday in 2021

On her 115th birthday in 2022

Despite being ever-aware of her own mortality, Maria continued to enjoy life to the fullest, her mind staying sharp even as she entered the upper echelon of the world's oldest people.

Aged 115, with her daughter Teresa (aged 88)

On 17 January 2023, the death of 118-year-old French nun Lucile Randon moved Maria up, at long last, to the position of the longest-lived person in the world.

Two months later, she became one of only a couple dozen individuals to reach the age of 116.

On her 116th birthday in 2023

On this occasion, she received a visit and a special plaque from the organization LongeviQuest.

On her 116th birthday, with LongeviQuest's Ben Meyers

As the world's oldest person, she was also visited by the Gerontology Research Group, Sam Green, a filmmaker who is documenting the world's oldest people, and even the President of Catalonia. In April 2023, she became the oldest person to ever live in Spain.

Aged 116, with Pere Aragones, the President of the Government of Catalonia 

On her 117th birthday in 2024

Maria made it around the sun one final time to celebrate her 117th birthday; she was the twelfth person to do so and over the next few months would rise up to eighth place. Although her physical health was largely in decline, her mind remained lucid.

The last known photo of Maria was taken for an interview on 18 June 2024. Even then, she was able to clearly answer the questions she was asked, and was described as "a charming woman who enjoys talking about her life and her family".

In June 2024, aged 117

By the summer, Maria knew that her time was at long last coming to an end. A post on 18 August read. "I feel weak. The time is coming. Don't cry, I don't like tears. And above all don't suffer for me. You know me, wherever I go I will be happy, because somehow I will always take you with me."

The following day, Maria's long and heartfelt story sadly came to a close when she was taken from us in her sleep, at the age of 117 years and 168 days.

Maria Branyas has left us. She has died as she wanted: in her sleep, peacefully and without pain.

Maria once said that the elderly are the forgotten ones of society. So may we never forget the the life and lessons of this strong-willed, beautiful, and compassionate human being.