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CNN Saturday Morning News

World's Oldest Person Has Lived in Three Centuries

Aired August 04, 2001 - 09:19   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
REA BLAKEY, CNN ANCHOR: Well, someone else who seems to be a little bit more resilient, besides the queen mum, is Mama Mary Thompson. She's believed to be the oldest woman in the world. Now, she hails from DeWitt, Arkansas, and Justin Akry (ph) of CNN affiliate KATV paid her a visit.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JUSTIN AKRY, KATV (voice-over): Bette Davis once said, "Old age ain't no place for sissies." If that's the case, then Mary Thompson is one of the toughest creatures ever to set foot on God's green earth.

RUTH ROAN, CRESTPARK RETIREMENT INN: If she likes you, she'll let you know. If she don't, she'll let you know that too.

AKRY: Thompson is better known as Mother Mary, and she's now reached the ripe age of 119. At this point in the game of life, she has nothing else to prove, and she knows it. She does what she wants, which consists largely of sipping on Crown Royal and chomping away on Juicy Fruit gum.

She also talks when she wants. Unfortunately, the urge didn't strike her during our visit.

ROAN: Are you not going to talk to me? Guess not.

AKRY: And, at 119, no one will fault her. Surprisingly, this centenarian, who's lived in three different centuries, still eats three meals a day. If she doesn't like what she's served, the kitchen has her standing backup order.

ROAN: If they serve something she don't like, she gets peanut butter and jelly.

AKRY: Family members say Mother Mary never had any children of her own, but she always liked youngsters. What's considered young has certainly grown over the years, and her niece, who just turned 80, would certainly be included.

LENDORA MILES, THOMPSON'S NIECE: You know, it's remarkable to reach the 100th mark, and to be that far over 100, it is remarkable. You just don't find many people that age.

AKRY: Even more shocking is that even as the pages of the calendar continue to turn, Thompson's health never wanes.

ROAN: She takes a vitamin and a couple of more, you know, pills, but otherwise, as far as health-wise, she's better than I am, I believe.

AKRY: Mother Mary credits her faith in the Lord for her longevity and health. She tells family members she just tries to do what she thinks the Man Upstairs would want. And it's worked for so long, we fully expect to see her here again this time next year.

In DeWitt, Justin Akry, Channel Seven News.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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