On February 11, 1904, a baby girl named Lucile Randon was born in France. During her life, she worked as a teacher, and in 1944, she became a nun. At this time, she became known as Sister André. For the past 12 years, she has spent her days living in a nursing home.

Last year, after the death of Kane Tanaka, a Japanese woman who lived to be 119, Randon became the oldest person currently alive. Last year, when Randon was asked about the secret to a long life, she told the media, “People say that work kills, for me work kept me alive, I kept working until I was 108.” She believed that having a purpose and staying active were key to her longevity. Sister André was a woman of faith and believed that her work as a nun also contributed to her long life.

On Tuesday January 17, 2023, at the age of 118, Randon passed away. According to David Tavella, a spokesperson for Sainte-Catherine-Laboure nursing home, where Randon lived, she died in her sleep around 2am. He explained that while her death is sad, “It was her desire to join her beloved brother. For her, it’s a liberation.”

During Randon’s life, she lived through two pandemics, the Spanish flu and COVID-19, and saw numerous changes in the world. She lived through two World Wars, the rise and fall of various governments and leaders, technological advancements, and cultural shifts. Randon was born just a couple of months after the Wright Brothers’ first powered flight and a few months before the New York subway system opened. She witnessed the first two Olympic Games, the first Tour de France, and the presidency of Teddy Roosevelt and Alfred Balfour. In her birth home of France, she saw the works of Cezanne, Matisse, and Jean-Paul Sartre, who hadn’t even been born yet when she was born.

Randon’s life is truly remarkable, and Guinness World Records Editor-in-Chief, Craig Glenday, highlighted some of the amazing facts about her life. He wrote, “How incredible that we shared the same air as someone who was born just a couple of months after the Wright Brothers’ first powered flight – and a few months before the New York subway system opened. We’d only had two Olympics Games by the time she was born in 1904, and only one Tour de France. Teddy Roosevelt was US President and Alfred Balfour was British Prime Minister! In her birth home of France, Cezanne was still painting, Matisse hadn’t yet had a solo exhibition, and Jean-Paul Sartre hadn’t even been born! It’s difficult to fathom that someone born before the patenting of plastic, zips or even bras was alive well into the 21st century, and robust enough to beat COVID-19.”

Sister André was an inspiration to many, not just for her age but for her positive attitude and wisdom. In one of her last few interviews, Randon left us with a few words of wisdom. Besides sharing that she enjoyed chocolate and wine, she explained a deeper message for the world. “People should help each other and love each other instead of hating. If we shared all that, things would be a lot better.”