Jamaica’s Violet Moss Brown now oldest person in the world

Jamaica’s Violet Moss Brown now oldest person in the world

Jamaican supercentenarian Violet Moss Brown is now the oldest person in the world, after the death of previous oldest person Emma Morano of Italy.

Morano, who was officially the last person born in the 1800s still living, died at her home in Verbania, Italy. Born on November 29, 1899, she was 117 years old.

“She had an extraordinary life, and we will always remember her strength to move forward in life,” the mayor of Verbania reportedly said.

Brown, of Duanvale in Trelawny, was born on March 10, 1900.

Known as ‘Aunt V’ in Duanvale, Brown’s eldest child, 96-year-old Harold Fairweather, is believed to be the world’s oldest living child with a parent alive.

In an exclusive interview with Loop News last year, Brown reflected on life growing up in post-emancipation Jamaica, as the country remained under British rule and the island’s black majority remained oppressed.

“It was like slavery. It was very hard but likkle by likkle we have come up to be a good place,” Brown said.

Declaring that “the best time is now”, Brown said she was enjoying life and is not sitting around waiting to die. She particularly enjoys sitting on her veranda and watching pedestrians and cars pass by.