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Aracelia Hernández González celebrated her 110 years of life this past Sunday in her home in Cárdenas, Matanzas, surrounded by children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, great-great-grandchildren, and even "chornos" —a Cuban term for the sixth generation of descendants— in a celebration that the chronicler Christian Arbolaez described on Facebook as "something truly extraordinary."
What surprises those who know her the most is not just the impressive number, but seeing her still sharp and talkative, enjoying the company of her loved ones.
Her family describes her as very spoiled and very loved, and they humorously mention that Aracelia "likes her little wine," laughingly pointing it out as one of the possible secrets to her longevity.
The family that has grown from her is of an extraordinary generational breadth. Its lineage is so extensive that the family has created its own family tree, filled with names, photos, and stories accumulated over generations.
Yudelmis Montes de Oca, great-granddaughter of Aracelia, summed it up in a few words when sharing the post: "My great-grandmother. Great-great-grandmother of my daughter and chorna grandmother of my grandchildren. 110 years... Health and long life."
Another great-granddaughter noted, "If all the descendants wrote comments, there would be countless stories to tell."
Family members also lovingly describe how they care for her at home: "They are just more kids in the house," someone joked, speaking about how families ultimately repay their grandparents with all the love that they once received.
Reaching 110 years —a category known as supercentenarian— is statistically exceptional, with an estimated probability of one in 100,000 globally.
Cuba is one of the most aged countries in Latin America. According to data from CEPAL, 22.8% of the Cuban population is 60 years old or older, and there are nearly 1,788 centenarians throughout the island.
The most recently documented oldest Cuban was Lucía Chacón Hechavarría, who passed away in Santiago de Cuba on July 22, 2024, at the age of 112 years and 222 days.
Cárdenas, known as "Flag City" and "City of First Fruits," has an estimated population of about 80,000 residents in its urban area, which makes it even more remarkable that one of its neighbors has reached this age.
As Arbolaez wrote when closing his publication: "True wealth often lies not in the material, but in reaching 110 years surrounded by a family that still hugs you, listens to you, cares for you, and makes you the heart of the home."
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