118-Year-Old French Nun, The World's Oldest Known Person, Passes Away
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Sister Lucile Randon, famously known as Sister Andrée to those who knew and loved her, will be remembered for her incredible life of service and her remarkable age.
The French nun, who was the world’s oldest known person, sadly passed away at the impressive age of 118. Sister Andrée was born in 1904 on the 11th of February and was in her care home in Toulon until she passed away in her sleep on Tuesday.
David Tavella, a spokesperson for Sister Andrée’s nursing home, Sainte-Catherine-Labouré, spoke to the media about the nun’s incredible life.
'There is great sadness but … it was her desire to join her beloved brother. For her, it’s a liberation,' said Tavella.
An incredible life experience, Sister Andrée was witness to some of the most transformative moments in modern history. She was born in the same year New York opened its first subway. Additionally, at the time of her birth, the Tour de France had only been staged once.
She was also born just a decade before the first world war came into action.
In an extraordinary life, Sister Andrée worked as a governor and tutor before ultimately joining a convent in 1944. She moved into nursing homes in 1979 and had been at her current Toulon home since 2009.
Prior to the passing of Japan's Kane Tanaka at the age of 119 last year, the sister had long been celebrated as the oldest European.
The nun’s lifespan is even more extraordinary when you consider the fact that she survived an outbreak of Covid-19 at her nursing home.
The Var-Matin newspaper reported that, when asked if she was scared of having Covid, the nun responded: 'No, I wasn’t scared because I wasn’t scared to die … I’m happy to be with you, but I would wish to be somewhere else – join my big brother, my grandfather and my grandmother.'
Tavella said that he was also surprised about Sister Andrée's attitude towards the virus, sharing: 'She didn’t ask me about her health but about her routine. She wanted to know for example if the meal and bed times were going to change.'
'She showed no fear of the illness, in fact she was more worried about the other residents.'
And for those of you who are curious about her secret for her long life, the nun claimed that she herself did not know what made her live for such a long time.
'I’ve no idea what the secret is. Only God can answer that question,' she said during an interview with a French radio station in 2020.
'I’ve had plenty of unhappiness in life and during the 1914-1918 war when I was a child, I suffered like everyone else.'
Sister Andrée’s story is a truly inspirational one that will not soon be forgotten. Members, Sister Andrée’s remarkable story is a reminder to us all to gratefully appreciate the joys of life, and of how important resilience is.
Please take a moment and share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below – what lessons has Sister Andrée’s incredible life given you? Let’s honour her memory together.
The French nun, who was the world’s oldest known person, sadly passed away at the impressive age of 118. Sister Andrée was born in 1904 on the 11th of February and was in her care home in Toulon until she passed away in her sleep on Tuesday.
David Tavella, a spokesperson for Sister Andrée’s nursing home, Sainte-Catherine-Labouré, spoke to the media about the nun’s incredible life.
'There is great sadness but … it was her desire to join her beloved brother. For her, it’s a liberation,' said Tavella.
An incredible life experience, Sister Andrée was witness to some of the most transformative moments in modern history. She was born in the same year New York opened its first subway. Additionally, at the time of her birth, the Tour de France had only been staged once.
Sister Lucile Randon, oldest living person in the world, passed away at the age of 118. Credit: Twitter/@father_rmv.
She was also born just a decade before the first world war came into action.
In an extraordinary life, Sister Andrée worked as a governor and tutor before ultimately joining a convent in 1944. She moved into nursing homes in 1979 and had been at her current Toulon home since 2009.
Prior to the passing of Japan's Kane Tanaka at the age of 119 last year, the sister had long been celebrated as the oldest European.
The nun’s lifespan is even more extraordinary when you consider the fact that she survived an outbreak of Covid-19 at her nursing home.
The Var-Matin newspaper reported that, when asked if she was scared of having Covid, the nun responded: 'No, I wasn’t scared because I wasn’t scared to die … I’m happy to be with you, but I would wish to be somewhere else – join my big brother, my grandfather and my grandmother.'
Tavella said that he was also surprised about Sister Andrée's attitude towards the virus, sharing: 'She didn’t ask me about her health but about her routine. She wanted to know for example if the meal and bed times were going to change.'
'She showed no fear of the illness, in fact she was more worried about the other residents.'
And for those of you who are curious about her secret for her long life, the nun claimed that she herself did not know what made her live for such a long time.
'I’ve no idea what the secret is. Only God can answer that question,' she said during an interview with a French radio station in 2020.
'I’ve had plenty of unhappiness in life and during the 1914-1918 war when I was a child, I suffered like everyone else.'
Sister Andrée’s story is a truly inspirational one that will not soon be forgotten. Members, Sister Andrée’s remarkable story is a reminder to us all to gratefully appreciate the joys of life, and of how important resilience is.
Please take a moment and share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below – what lessons has Sister Andrée’s incredible life given you? Let’s honour her memory together.
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