Viola Myles, going strong at 105 years old

She’s one of Belize’s oldest citizens and today Viola Myles celebrated her one hundred and fifth birthday. Myles has been a resident of the Sr. Cecilia Home for the Elderly since mid 2007 and today the institution stuck to tradition and held a party for their most famous resident. Myles told us she feels as young as a teenager.

Viola Myles, Celebrating One Hundred Fifth Birthday
“As young as I was when I was fifteen or ten or what, I don’t very older.”

Marion Ali
“What are you planning to do this year, your hundred and fifth year?”

Viola Myles
“I no plan nothing. You know who is my planner? My great friend Jesus Christ.”

Marion Ali
“Ms. Viola what’s the secret? I mean, a lot of people woulda want live fi get half your age at least. Hundred and five years old, what’s the secret?”

Viola Myles
“No secret more than yo live right. No secret more than yo live right. And that’s all the secret, just live right, live for Christ.”

Marion Ali
“You have any advice for youngsters out here, people getting into trouble and all of that; dying young?”

Viola Myles
“I tired talk to them. And they tell me it’s ok Ms. Vi and tomorrow they go and do the same thing.”

Sharon Polack, Executive Director, Helpage Belize
“In August she fell at her home and broke shoulder, her scapula so when she could no longer look after herself, she was put here at the Sister Cecilia Home and then in December she was getting out of bed and she slipped which is what happens to a lot of older persons and she broke her hip. So she has been in bed from December to the beginning of February. So she has just been able to go back in the wheelchair and be brought out here but her hip is still very weak so she’s not going to walk again. We don’t think she will probably walk again. She was walking until December when she broke the hip.”

Marion Ali
“The cast has been removed. Is the recovery slow for a hundred and five year old lady?”

Sharon Polack
“No, pretty fast for a hundred and five, yes. She has been a good patient. At least she is able to get up now and go into the wheelchair and come into the dining room here to have her lunch and dinner everyday.”

[Viola Myles singing]

While at one hundred and five Ms Viola is the oldest person at Sister Cecilia, trailing not too far behind is Sophia Jones who is a hundred and four years old.