BIOGRAPHY

María Estefanía Mejía was born in San Jerónimo, Antioquia Department, Colombia, on 24 January 1907. It was reported that she was born on 6 January 1908, but research suggests she may have been even older than claimed. She spent most of her life in Cisneros, working as a homemaker. Widowed at a young age, she labored in the fields and devoted herself to raising her 12 children.

As of January 2016, at the age of 109, she had 40 grandchildren, 60 great-grandchildren, and several great-great-grandchildren. She was reported to be in good health, with her daughter Maruja caring for her. Her 109th birthday was celebrated with a special Mass.

María Estefanía Mejía passed away in Barbosa, Antioquia Department, on 20 November 2017, at the age of 110 years, 300 days.

RECOGNITION

Her age was verified by Santiago García Medina and Fabrizio Villatoro, and listed as pending validation by the Latin American Supercentenarians (LAS) organization on 1 June 2022.

ATTRIBUTION

* “Hoy celebraron los 107 años de María Estefanía Mejía” – Enfoque Cinco, 6 January 2016

GALLERY