BIOGRAPHY

Domínguez Andrés was born in Salamanca, Castile and León, Spain, on 1 September 1914. She was orphaned at a young age—her father died from an illness, and a few years later, her mother passed away in an accident. Gabriela, the eldest sibling, was just eight years old when her father died. Even in her old age, she vividly recalled the moment when her dying mother asked her to take care of her younger sisters.

Her grandmother encouraged her to move to Madrid when she was just 17—and she did. At 23, she married a young soldier named César Sánchez, with whom she had three daughters. Due to her husband’s profession, they lived in North Africa, as well as in Burgos and Segovia, Spain. During her adult life, she worked as a housewife and would sew and make dresses for her daughters. She shared that one of her fondest memories was helping a group of nuns find homes for 25 orphaned children.

In 2023, a few months before she turned 109, one of her sisters passed away at the age of 104, while another had died in 2015 after celebrating her 98th birthday. At the age of 109, she had five grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. At 109, she remained perfectly lucid. She spoke vividly about the Carmelitas neighborhood in Salamanca, where she was born and raised, and recalled the moment she was caught by surprise during the bombings of the Civil War in Salamanca.

When asked about the secret of her longevity, she said: “not taking things the wrong way.” When she turned 100, she decided to go and live into a residence in Pozuelo de Alarcón, Madrid Community, where she currently lives.

RECOGNITION

Her age has not been validated by LongeviQuest.

ATTRIBUTION

* “Sencillez Longeva – Gabriela Domínguez” – Amavir, 30 September 2022

* “El secreto de la longevidad de la mujer más anciana de Madrid: ni dietas, ni médicos, tan solo 108 años “sin tomarme las cosas a mal”” – EL Mundo, 23 April 2023

GALLERY