Today Emma Morano celebrates 116 years and becomes the oldest woman both in Italy and in Europe.
The birthday of Emma Morano
Mrs Emma was born in 1899 in the province of Vercelli and then moved on the shores of Lake Maggiore while she was still a young girl, living during three centuries as well as her American counterpart Susannah Mushatt Jones.
Today Emma celebrates her birthday with family and friends at her home in Verbania, where she lives alone.
No carers, no relatives, no support, only a nephew who goes to see her every morning and helps her to prepare food.
In an interview with The New York Times she reveals her long-life secret: being single!
Yes, Emma decides to separate from her husband in 1939, when she was forty, and never remarried because ” she does not want to be controlled.” Considering that even Susannah is single by choice, perhaps the secret of living long is exactly this?
Perhaps, but genetics plays its part too. One of the sisters of Italy’s grandmother has in fact died at the age of 100 years and another one when she was 102.
Emma also received two special giftsfor her birthday: greetings from Mattarella and a blessing from Pope Francis.
We at Emadion alsowant to join in with our best wishes: Happy Birthday Grandma Emma!
