The oldest person in the United States is getting ready to celebrate another birthday with the help of her entire community.
Edie Ceccarelli will turn 116 years old on February 5 and everyone living near her home in Willits, California, is encouraged to help make the day a special one, the Press Democrat reported Friday.
The birthday girl is also the oldest confirmed Californian in recorded history and the second oldest individual on the planet, the outlet said.
In a social media post on January 17, social media user Ashley Persico urged neighbors to help mark the day by participating in a drive-by parade on February 4 where participants are encouraged to decorate their vehicles for the birthday bash:
Come help celebrate our wonderful Edie Ceccarelli! Shes turning 116 years old❤️
Posted by Ashley Persico on Wednesday, January 17, 2024
For several years, neighbors have honored her by throwing a parade outside the Holy Spirit Residential Care Home on Grove Street, which has delighted Ceccarelli on her birthday.
An image shows her wearing a festive red hat during what appears to be one of those celebrations:
Edith “Edie” Recagno Keenan Ceccarelli, of Willits, California, will turn 116 and be celebrated with a drive-by parade on Feb. 4. https://t.co/1I49LtYn2j
— NewsNation (@NewsNation) January 27, 2024
According to the Historical Society of Mendocino County, Ceccarelli was born in Willits in 1908. At the time, Theodore Roosevelt was president of the United States.
She is the eldest of seven siblings whose parents were hard-working Italian immigrants, the society’s report continued:
“Edie graduated from Willits Union High School in 1927,” the society stated, noting she married Elmer Keenan in 1933. When her husband passed away in 1984, she eventually married Charles Ceccarelli who died in 1990.
While married to Kennan, the couple adopted a daughter named Laureen, per the Democrat. “Laureen and her kids all carried a genetic disorder; Edie would outlive them all,” the article said.
Although she no longer has the memory and awareness she once enjoyed, Ceccarelli’s family members say she loves to eat good food, and enjoys being neatly dressed and ready to face each day, the outlet noted.
