The oldest living American is 113 years old and she's a woman from Ohio who believes that she's still around because it's the will of God.
The Gerontology Research Group in Georgia declared Friday that Lessie Brown became the oldest American alive after 114-year-old Delphine Gibson from Pennsylvania died in early May.
Brown, who was born in Georgia in 1904, is now bedridden and spends most of her time sleeping but she's still responsive to her visitors at Cleveland Heights. She has five children with her husband, who died in 1991, and she has 29 grandchildren and over 50 great grandchildren and great great grandchildren.
In her more active years, Brown frequented services at the Emmanuel Baptist Church. Her family said that there's no secret to Brown's longevity because everyone knows it's her strong devotion to God.
"Her love of everyone and her belief in God -- she just loves everyone -- and I believe that has a lot to do with her longevity," Brown's daughter, 90-year-old Vivian Hatcher, told the press.
Her other daughter, Verline Wilson, 88, also said that their mother strongly believes God meant for her to live long so she could still watch over her family.
"She did tell me that once," Verline revealed. "She said, 'I'm supposed to be here for a while to see about you.'"
When Brown learned that she's now the oldest living American, she simply remarked, "That's good," and went back to sleep. Hatcher, however, told Fox News that while she loves her mother deeply, she feels sorry for the fact that Brown can no longer move about.
These days, a minister from her church visits her apartment regularly and gives her communion at least once a month. Brown told the Heights Observer when she celebrated her 110th birthday that she mostly spends her time reading the Bible.
Meanwhile, friends of Gibson, who preceded Brown as the oldest living American, said that she was also a faithful follower of God until her final days on earth. She used to sing praise songs, much to the delight of her companions and therapists at the Huntingdon Hills home care.
