The Enigma of Jeanne Calment: Truth Behind 122 Years of Life
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Jeanne Calment: A Remarkable Life
Jeanne Calment, a French woman, holds a documented lifespan of 122 years! She stands as the only person verified to have crossed the 120-year mark. Throughout her long life, she outlived both her daughter and grandson. In 1995, at the age of 120, she was officially recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the oldest person ever.
Skepticism Surrounding Her Age
Like many extraordinary records, skepticism emerged regarding Jeanne's age. Just as there are doubts about athletes' achievements, questions arose about the validity of her lifespan. In 1994, authorities in Arles, the city where she resided, sought to verify her personal documents—yes, the very Arles known for Vincent van Gogh.
Unfortunately, Jeanne's family claimed that many of her documents and photographs were destroyed by a distant relative. This led to a more extensive verification process initiated in 1995, coinciding with her 120th birthday. The investigation took over a year, but Jeanne lived to see its conclusion.
The Verification Journey
Given the lack of documents, investigators asked her about relatives, acquaintances, and significant locations from her youth, including teachers and neighbors. A vital source of evidence came from population censuses that listed Calment from 1876 to 1975. The local Catholic Church played a crucial role in providing documentary proof, as her father was a city council member and her husband owned a substantial business.
Despite the evidence, demographers found her age to be an extraordinary outlier, with Jeanne living significantly longer than the next oldest documented individual.
Russian Doubts
Speculation about the legitimacy of her age also emerged from Russia. Scientists Novoselov and Zak suggested that Jeanne died in 1934 and that her daughter Yvonne assumed her identity. Yvonne, born in 1898, would have been 99 years old at Jeanne’s death in 1997. This theory was detailed in a Medium article by Yuri Deigin titled "J’Accuse…! Why Jeanne Calment’s 122-year old longevity record may be fake."
However, French authorities disputed this claim. They argued that Jeanne’s responses to questions about her life could not have been known by her daughter, lending credibility to her age. Whether this is a matter of national pride or rigorous research remains to be seen.
Final Thoughts
Regardless of the debates, it is established that Jeanne Calment, whether truly herself or her daughter, passed away on August 4, 1997, in Arles, France, at the remarkable age of 122 years and 164 days. With today’s record-keeping and technology, it seems implausible for such a question to arise. Yet, the legend of Jeanne Calment continues to captivate, perhaps more than definitive proof ever could.