Qamile Marra, a 117-year-old Albanian woman, spends her days with vitality and love for life in the village of Ferres, located 100 kilometers south of Tirana, the capital of Albania. Born during the Ottoman rule, she is surprisingly unaware of her age and only thinks about enjoying her life and family.
Life Among the Mountains
Marra, while smiling and reflecting on the beauty of life, says: "Life is beautiful, like the Tumor Mountain in bloom." She is constantly busy in her garden, harvesting fresh fruits. Despite her advanced age, she still wakes up early in the mornings to sweep the yard, water her flowers, and feed the chickens.
Marra is recognized as one of the longest-lived people in the world, with documented evidence showing her birth date as August 19, 1909. This date makes her two days older than Ethel Caterham, the oldest living woman according to Guinness records. However, verifying the age of individuals at such extraordinary ages can sometimes be difficult.
Family and Memories
Marra, whose husband passed away 36 years ago, lived in a betrothal marriage, but according to her, this marriage was full of love. She is now witnessing the growth of five generations of her family and is very happy to see her family members at home. "When I see people coming and going, I am very happy," she says.
Her 80-year-old son, Hysen, says that local authorities prevented her pension from continuing when she turned 100 because they did not believe she was still alive. After providing documents and testimonies, her payments resumed, and recently the government granted her a special pension in honor of her age.
Marra continues her simple life and has never visited a doctor. She is in perfect health and takes no medication. This strong-spirited woman represents the strength and beauty of life at an advanced age.
