*Susannah Mushatt Jones of Brooklyn turns 116 today, becoming the oldest living person on the planet.
Born on July 6, 1899, Jones became the record holder at the age of 115 years and 346 days.
Asked for the secret of her longevity, she said: “sleep!”
She’s lost her eyesight and is hard of hearing, but Jones is not confined to her bed and takes only two medications a day.
Known as “T” (short for auntie) to her 100 nieces and nephews, Jones will celebrate with two birthday parties: a small one with family today and a larger community party tomorrow.
When she was honored for participating in the community watch at 106, she said, “I never drink or smoke. I surround myself with love and positive energy. That’s the key to long life and happiness.”
Susannah was born Susie Mushatt in Lowndes County, Alabama, to Mary and Callie Mushatt. Her father was a sharecropper who picked cotton to support his wife and ten children. In 1922, she left Alabama for New Jersey before moving to New York City in 1923, finding employment as a live-in housekeeper and childcare provider.
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