Genetics and deep affection can rewrite the boundaries of human biology. In Rio de Janeiro, the specialized global organization LongeviQuest certified a historic achievement that projects three women directly into the Guinness Book of Records. Levita de Deus Nunes, Zoraide de Deus Mota and Zulina de Deus Nunes are officially the oldest living sibling trio on the planet, boasting an astonishing overall age of 316 years and 302 days. This absolute record was validated in the field thanks to the visit of the researcher Iara Souza, who met the three protagonists last May in the heart of the Brazilian metropolis, collecting testimonies of a union that exceeds a century of life.
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Levitate the leader: a life for family and television
The eldest daughter of the group was Levita, who came into the world on 7 June 1917. The second of eight siblings, she took on the responsibility of household management and care of the younger family members from her adolescence while her parents were busy with hard agricultural work in the fields. A conscious choice that led her to never get married and not have children, focusing all her energy on her parental circle. Alongside her tireless domestic dedication and deep-rooted passion for crafts such as sewing, knitting and crochet, the woman has built a solid professional path, working for twelve consecutive years at the national television broadcaster Rede Globo.
Zoraide and Zulina: between hospital wards and the warmth of a new life
The middle sister, Zoraide, was born on 24 November 1921. Before dedicating herself to caring for the sick as a professional nurse in various hospital facilities, she worked as a teacher in primary school. In 1950 she married Enéas Alves da Mota, giving birth to five children. Zoraide itself represented the turning point for her younger sister Zulina, born on 4 March 1923. The latter, mother of six children from her marriage to the railway worker José Benvindo dos Santos, moved to Rio de Janeiro precisely to find hospitality in Zoraide’s home after her separation from her husband. Shortly after, Levita also joined them to provide concrete support in managing the new daily life.
The secret of longevity lies in blood ties
Having always shared a love for embroidery and craftsmanship, the three women have faced every adversity together. Longevity experts agree that this never-broken family bond is the true elixir of long life for the three extraordinary Brazilian women.
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