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Texas woman turns 115, making her the oldest living person in the US

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Texas woman turns 115, making her the oldest living person in the US

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A Houston, Texas, woman who turned 115 last month is now the oldest living person in the United States.

“She will tell you it’s by the grace of God,” her granddaughter Ethel Harrison, 69, also of Houston, told Fox News Digital. 

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“That’s how she made it so long. She is very spiritual.”

TEXAS WOMAN CELEBRATES HER 114TH BIRTHDAY, ATTRIBUTING HER LONG LIFE TO GOD: ‘JUST THE LORD KEEPING ME HERE’

Elizabeth Francis was the second-oldest person in the U.S. until the previous longevity record holder Edie Ceccarelli, 116, of Mendocino County, California, died on Feb. 22.

Elizabeth Francis, 115, of Houston, Texas, is now the oldest living person in the United States and the fourth-oldest documented person living in the world. (Ethel Harrison)

Francis is also the fourth-oldest living person in the world — according to the Gerontology Research Group (GRT), a Los Angeles-based global social science institution of researchers in gerontology, human longevity, public health and demography.

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“Supercentenarians” are folks who have lived more than 110 years. While there are more than 97,000 people in the United States who are classified as centenarians, there are far fewer supercentenarians, according to data from the World Economic Forum, a nonprofit research institute based in Switzerland.

Francis lives at home with her daughter, Dorothy Williams, who is 95.

The two have several caregivers, including Harrison.

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Francis always believed in the loyalty of family and taking care of her own, Harrison said.

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Ben Myers (pictured far right) of LongeviQuest, a global research organization that tracks human longevity, gathers with Elizabeth Francis' family members and presents her award as the oldest living American in the U.S.

Ben Myers (pictured far right) of LongeviQuest, a global research organization that tracks human longevity, gathers with Elizabeth Francis’ family members and presents her award as the oldest living American in the U.S. (Ethel Harrison)

“She was a caregiver herself,” Harrison said.

“She actually took care of her dad until he passed at the age of 99. And then she had a sister come live with her. She always said, ‘Treat people like you want to be treated.’ That was her motto and we’ve always kind of lived by that.”

Ben Meyers is CEO of LongeviQuest, a global research organization that tracks and studies human longevity.

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“There’s a lot of interest recently in longevity and also aging,” Meyers said. 

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Ben-Meyers-headshot

Ben Meyers, CEO of LongeviQuest, a global research organization that tracks and studies human longevity, said many of those he works with over the age of 100 have a strong sense of faith. (Ben Meyers)

“How to take care of people, live good, fulfilling lives. There’s really no better role model than supercentenarians. They’re very interesting — their histories, their philosophies,” he added. 

“And there are folks who are interested in learning the secrets of longevity … trying to come up with formulas. But the only ones we know who are successful at aging to the maximum degree are supercentenarians. We call them the Olympians of aging. Ms. Francis is a great example.”

Meyers visited Francis and her family earlier this year to present her with an award to recognize her as the oldest living American in the U.S.

“One thing that she really is an example of more than almost anybody else I’ve met is just family and community,” he said.

CALIFORNIA WWII VETERAN, 103, SHARES REMARKABLE LIFE STORY AND ADVICE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE: ‘PRAY EVERY NIGHT’

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“She lives at home, and she’s the oldest person in the world to live at home. It’s really pretty extraordinary. Also, the community that she has through her church. So there [are] really active families and communities. It’s very difficult for people to reach that age in isolation,” Meyers added.

Elizabeth Francis oldest person

Francis is now officially the oldest living person in America after her 115th birthday last month. (Ethel Harrison)

Born in Louisiana on July 25, 1909, Francis has lived through two world wars and now two global pandemics. 

She never drove a car, but she worked outside the home, running the coffee shop at a TV station in Houston during the 1970s and 80s.

Francis has three grandchildren, five great-grandchildren and four great-great-grandchildren. 

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Harrison said her grandmother’s main focus has always been on her family and her faith.

“If we had a gathering, whether a party or a graduation, she was always there,” Harrison said.

Elizabeth Francis birthday cake

Last year, Francis and her family celebrated her 114th birthday. (Ethel Harrison)

Francis only attended one church, which she’s still a member of, Good Hope Missionary Baptist Church, which was established in 1872.

“Pastor Cofield and the members still come out to the home,” Harrison said. 

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Elizabeth Francis smiling in bed

Francis attributes her long life to her faith and still watches her church on television since she cannot attend in person. (Ethel Harrison)

“They come to visit and bring communion,” Harrison said. “She is still an active member even though she is not able to attend church. We watch on television.”

Meyers said the supercentenarians he interviews have a strong sense of faith.

“Ms. Francis gives 100 percent of the credit for her longevity to God,” Meyers said. 

NEW YORK VETERAN, 105, SHARES HER SECRET TO A FULFILLING LIFE: FAITH, FAMILY AND ‘NO REGRETS’

Elizabeth Francis birthday sign

Francis has three grandchildren, five great-grandchildren and four great-great-grandchildren — all of whom were at her 114th birthday celebration last year. (Ethel Harrison)

Another characteristic Francis exemplifies, Meyer said, is “total fortitude.” 

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“Not letting herself get distracted by things that are outside of her control,” he said. 

“She is really focused on her world. I’ve asked her about the events she lived through and her answers are quite blasé. Every event, good or bad, kind of rolled off her sleeve because she focused on her world day to day.”

Harrison said that although Francis is no longer a big talker, an old hymn definitely catches her grandmother’s attention and she enjoys singing along. 

Elizabeth Francis oldest person

Francis is reportedly only one of 68 people who have reached the age of 115 and 25 of the longest-living Americans in history. (Ethel Harrison)

Francis always had a love for gardening and sharing vegetables with others.

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“She believed in cooking her own healthy food and working hard — Just work hard,’ she said. And that’s what we did.”

Francis is one of only 68 people known to have reached the age of 115, and she is among the 25 longest-lived people in American history, according to LongeviQuest.

Last year, when asked what she attributes her long life to, Francis told Fox News Digital, “Just the Lord working with me and keeping me here.”

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Los Angeles, Ca

Family searching for missing Southern California woman

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Family searching for missing Southern California woman

Loved ones are searching for a woman who disappeared in South Los Angeles.

Prisciliana Rose Douglas, 60, was last seen on July 23 near the intersection of 39th Street and Walton Avenue in Exposition Park, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.

Her family said the missing woman is “of sound mind” and did not note any underlying health conditions that would contribute to her disappearance.

Loved ones are “deeply concerned for her safety and well-being,” police said.

Douglas is described as 5 feet 4 inches tall and weighs around 140 pounds. She has black hair and brown eyes with a medium build. She also has visible moles under her left eye. 

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Prisciliana Rose Douglas, 60, is seen in a photo from the Los Angeles Police Department.

Her family said they do not know what she was last seen wearing when she left her home near the 1100 West block of 39th Street.

Anyone who may have spotted Douglas or knows of her whereabouts is urged to call LAPD Southwest Area at 213-485-2710. 

The public can also call the LAPD at 1-877-527-3247. Anonymous tips can be provided to L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online at lacrimestoppers.org.

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Southwest

Vance: 'Hard to believe' how poorly Harris has handled US-Mexico border until you 'see it with your own eyes'

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Vance: 'Hard to believe' how poorly Harris has handled US-Mexico border until you 'see it with your own eyes'

Republican vice presidential candidate Sen. JD Vance is tearing into Kamala Harris for the Biden administration’s handling of the U.S.-Mexico border, telling reporters during a visit there Thursday that it is “hard to believe” until you “see it with your own eyes.” 

Vance, speaking in Cochise County, Arizona, said “If people can come into this country and they know they’re never going to be deported, you effectively have an open border.” 

“It’s hard to believe until you see it with your own eyes, just how bad the policies of the Kamala Harris administration have been when it comes to the southern border,” Vance said. “They started their administration, Kamala Harris came into office… they stopped deportations on day one. They stopped construction of the border wall. 

“We see the border wall sitting here, ready to be completed behind us. And that can’t happen because of Kamala Harris’s administration. They reinstated catch and release and they stopped remain in Mexico,” he continued. “So all these asylum claimants who come to our border, they can now get released into our country because they’re not forced to stay in Mexico while we adjudicate their asylum claims.” 

BORDER DISTRICT REPUBLICAN INVITES KAMALA HARRIS TO VIEW CRISIS FIRSTHAND: ‘STICKS OUT LIKE A SORE THUMB’ 

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Republican vice presidential candidate Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, addresses the media during his visit to the U.S.-Mexico border in Hereford, Arizona, on Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024.  (Grace Trejo/Arizona Daily Star via AP)

Vance described the “human toll” of the ongoing immigration crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border as the “thing we cannot forget.” 

“We have got kids who can’t learn in schools because [they] have been overwhelmed with migrant children who shouldn’t be there,” Vance said. “We’ve got hospitals where the wait times have exploded because illegal aliens are standing in front of the line of American citizens.” 

“The media needs to tell the truth and Kamala Harris needs to change course on this crazy border, the border mess, or the people who suffer the most are the people who can least afford to suffer,” he declared. 

BORDER MAYORS JUDGE HARRIS’ PERFORMANCE ON IMMIGRATION CRISIS AS VICE PRESIDENT 

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JD Vance smiles at the podium, left, Kamala Harris looks concerned with her hands placed on her chest, right

JD Vance says Vice President Kamala Harris needs to “change course” on her approach to the U.S.-Mexico border. (Getty Images)

Vance also described securing the border as “not rocket science.” 

“You just have to re-implement some commonsense policies. You’ve got to re-implement remain in Mexico. You’ve got to stop catch and release,” he said. “You’ve got to force these asylum seekers to stay in Mexico while their claims are being adjudicated. And you’ve got to finish this border wall and re-implement deportations.” 

JD Vance speaks to local border patrol agents

Republican vice presidential candidate Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, speaks to local border patrol agents and farmers during his visit to the U.S-Mexico border on Thursday. (Grace Trejo/Arizona Daily Star via AP)

 

The Harris campaign, when contacted by Fox News Digital on Thursday, mentioned how Harris was endorsed this week by a group of mayors in Arizona border towns “praising her long record of fighting to secure the border and fix our broken immigration system, including her work going after transnational gangs smuggling weapons and drugs as California Attorney General and bringing border crossings to their lowest level in years with tough border policies in the White House.”

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Los Angeles, Ca

Tom Cruise to participate in 2024 Olympic Games closing ceremony: reports

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Tom Cruise to participate in 2024 Olympic Games closing ceremony: reports

Tom Cruise will reportedly be involved in the ceremonial Olympic Games handoff between Paris and Los Angeles, which is set to host the summer games in 2028.

According to Deadline, the Mission Impossible actor has already filmed two stunts in Paris and L.A. as part of the upcoming closing ceremony on Aug. 11

Specific details about the closing ceremony are still under wraps but it is known that Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo will hand off the Olympic flag to Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass.

“Expect a major Hollywood production,” an unnamed source told Deadline.

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The 2028 Summer Olympics will run July 14-30 in Los Angeles, which also hosted the Games in 1932 and 1984. LA28 will also be a historic occasion since it will mark the first time in the Olympic Games history that a new stadium wasn’t built for the competition.

During the summer games, venues across Los Angeles County, such as Crypto.com Arena, the Convention Center, the L.A. Football Club Stadium, USC’s Galen Center, and the Peacock Theater, will be utilized.

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