BIOGRAPHY

Gracia Santos was born in Tremembé, São Paulo, Brazil, on 4 September 1913. Her mother, Carolina, arrived in Taubaté in 1891 at the age of 5. She was born in Lombardy, Italy. Her father, Barnabé, was born in Tremembé in 1877. In 1908, the two married and went on to have 8 children. Gracia was their third child, followed by Rosa in 1915. The two sisters were inseparable and assisted their mother in caring for their 4 younger siblings.

At some point, the family moved to a large house in the city center, constructed by their father. However, with the onset of the Second World War and the passing of their father, new challenges arose. As a result, some family members had to move to the city of São Paulo in search of better job opportunities. Their mother moved to São Paulo with five of her children, while the other three remained in Taubaté. In time, the youngest three siblings pursued higher education and joined the workforce, whereas Gracia and Rosa stayed home to support their mother. Gracia enrolled in a cutting and sewing program. Upon moving to São Paulo, she found a job at Madame Rosita’s Haute Couture Studio on Avenida Angélica. However, she soon met her husband, moved to another residence, and eventually had a son.

At some point, she was widowed and moved in with her younger sister’s family. From 2011 onwards, both she and Rosa relied on a caregiver, and in 2016, they moved into a nursing home.

Her younger sister, Rosa, passed away on 29 March 2024, aged 109 years, 51 days.

Gracia dos Santos Pinto passed away in São Paulo, on 27 July 2024, at the age of 110 years, 327 days.

RECOGNITION

Her age was verified by Gabriel Ainsworth, Iara Souza, and Filipe Lopes, and validated by LongeviQuest on 1 March 2024. With a combined age of 219 years and 202 days at the time of their validation, she and her younger sister Rosa hold the title for the world’s oldest known pair of living siblings.

ATTRIBUTION

GALLERY