Brazilian woman reaches 111 years old with a large family

Eunice Anício da Silveira reached the age of 111 in Joanésia, a town in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais.

She celebrated her birthday surrounded by family members who have grown alongside her over more than a century of life. Eunice built a massive family during her long life. She had 15 children, nine of whom are still alive, and she has 50 grandchildren, 88 great-grandchildren, and 52 great-great-grandchildren.

She married Oswaldo de Carvalho in 1932 at the age of 16 and remained with him for nearly 75 years until his death in 2007. Eunice attributes her longevity to a specific daily routine and a diet of products from her own land. She claims she has never suffered from illnesses or required medication. Her habits include going to bed early, waking up at first light, drinking plenty of milk, and staying busy with various tasks.

While Eunice shares her personal experience, experts note that individual habits do not guarantee a similar outcome for others. Longevity involves a complex mix of genetics, environment, and lifestyle. LongeviQuest, an international organization that verifies cases of people over 110 years old, documents her story as part of the rare group of supercentenarians.