Ethel Caterham was born in 1909, when the world was completely different from the one we know today. 🎂 This August 21, the Briton celebrated her 117th birthday and confirmed a new record: she is the world’s oldest living person and the first documented Briton to reach that age.
Her life has spanned more than a century of history. Ethel lived through both world wars, saw six British monarchs come and go, and witnessed transformations ranging from the arrival of television to the internet. She even survived COVID at the age of 110.
But perhaps the most wonderful thing is that, at 117, she still finds reasons to be surprised. During the past year, she met King Charles III and had experiences she had never had before, such as petting a llama. Her family says that she remains interested in what is happening around her, and she herself hopes to discover what the next year will bring.
When asked about the secret to such a long life, Ethel does not talk about miraculous formulas. Her advice has been much simpler: “Never argue with anyone. Listen and do what you want”.
117 years after her birth, Ethel still does not seem to be looking only backward. She also wants to know what comes next. ❤️