After the death of the Italian woman Emma Morano, who held the title of the world's oldest person, Jamaican centenarian Violet Brown, aged 117, is now the oldest person on Earth.
After Morano's death on Saturday, the Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness confirmed that Brown was now the world's oldest person and congratulated her on Twitter. Brown was reportedly born on March 10, 1900 when the island country was still a British colony.
The world's oldest human is Jamaican Violet Brown, who was born on March 10, 1900. Congrats Violet. pic.twitter.com/AnjXdHK1Kz
— Andrew Holness (@AndrewHolnessJM) April 15, 2017
Brown, who is endearingly called as Aunt V by family, told Jamaican newspaper The Gleaner in an interview in 2010 that she used to walk barefoot for almost 5 kilometres to fetch water for her family.
"These young people these days have it easy—piped water, taxis and buses to bring them where they want to go, everything to their convenience," Brown told the newspaper. "When I was younger, and even as an adult, I had to work so hard that sometimes when I look back, I cry at how hard I had to work to make a living for my family."
The centenarian currently lives at her home in Trelawny, Jamaica, with her 97-year-old son and her grandson.
Brown has reportedly worked as a dressmaker, a cleaner, music teacher and church organist throughout her life. She also took over her husband's job as a record-keeper for the local cemetry after his death in 1997.
Brown told the newspaper that she lives according to the Christian commandment : "Honor your mother and father so your days may be long."
"I have been baptized since I was 13 years old and I have over 50 years of staunch contribution to the church," she said.
Brown also added that when people ask her about her diet and drink, she tells them that she eats everything except pork and chicken. She doesn't drink rum.
