Yolanda Beltrão de Azevedo was born in Coruripe, Alagoas, Brazil, on 13 January 1911, as the first of 15 children. She got married and had four children. She was a devoted housewife who dedicated her life to caring for her family.
At the age of 107, she had 13 grandchildren, 30 great-grandchildren, 19 great-great-grandchildren, and one great-great-great-grandchild. When asked about the secret to her longevity, she shared that she ate a variety of foods but avoided passion fruit juice as it caused her stomach discomfort. She also enjoyed crocheting, explaining that the activity kept her mind focused: “When I crochet, I don’t think about anything else, so I never miss a stitch.” On 28 January 2021, she received her first dose of COVID-19 vaccine, making her one of the oldest people to be vaccinated in Brazil.
As of her 114th birthday in January 2025, she had one living sister, Salete Beltrão, aged 91. She had two surviving children: her daughters, Irmã (Sister) Iolanda Beltrão, born in 1933, was 91, while her son, João, was 93 years old.
Her age was verified by Iara Souza and Gabriel Ainsworth, and validated by LongeviQuest on 27 March 2024. She is the first documented supercentenarian from the state of Alagoas.
* “Mesmo debaixo de chuva, idosos vão em busca de vacinação no primeiro dia em Maceió; veja fotos” – TNH1, 28 January 2021
On her 114th birthday, along with her 91-year-old sister, Salete (left), and her 91-year-old daughter, Sister Iolanda Beltrão (right).