Black Woman from Maryland Turns 109, Possibly the Oldest Person in the Entire State

Nationwide — Daisy Rhem, an African American woman from Prince George’s County, Maryland, is celebrating having turned 109 years old. Born in 1916 in Amelia, South Carolina, she credits her long life to kindness, healthy habits, and faith.

Throughout her life, Rhem lived in Detroit, Charlotte, and the Bronx before settling in Maryland with her daughter, Veronica Henry, according to 11 Alive. Rhem raised six children and has since enjoyed having six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Despite her age, she remains active. She loves sewing, cooking, and cherishing time with her family.

Her daughter, Veronica, shared her mother’s wisdom, saying, “She’d always say you have to treat people kind, to eat right, she never smoke, she never drank, and that she’d always read her bible.”

For Rhem, the secret to her long life is simply “right living.”