A resident of the New Jersey retirement home who tested positive for COVID-19 on her 105th birthday has now beaten the virus, crediting her resilience to the ritual of consuming nine raisins soaked in gin a day and ‘no junk food’.
Lucia DeClerck, who lives in the Mystic Meadows nursing home in Little Egg Harbor, survived three husbands, two world wars and now two pandemics.
The great-great-grandmother, who was two years old when the Spanish flu outbreak appeared, recovered from the coronavirus more than a century later, having tested positive for the disease on January 25.
DeClerck’s diagnosis came a day after she received her second dose of the Pfizer vaccine, Mystic Meadows administrator Michael Neiman told the New York Times.
Despite being considered a high-risk patient because of her age, Neiman said that DeClerck showed no serious symptoms of the virus and was back in her room in two weeks, holding the rosary and wearing her knitting hat and sunglasses.
“I’m feeling great,” she told CBS on Monday, adding that the secret to her longevity was “pray, pray, pray and no junk food.”
But speaking to the Times, she said that surviving COVID-19 may have something to do with another staple in her life: the consumption of nine golden raisins soaked in gin every morning, which she ate for most of her life. .
“Fill a jar,” she explained. “Nine raisins a day after nine days.”
Tataravó Lucia DeClerck (above), who was two years old when the Spanish flu outbreak hit, now recovered from the coronavirus more than a century later, having tested positive for the disease on January 25
DeClerck (photographed on his 100th birthday), who lives at the Mystic Meadows nursing home in Little Egg Harbor, survived three husbands, two world wars and now two pandemics
Her children and grandchildren recall the ritual as one of DeClerck’s many lifestyle habits and describe her as a “health freak”.
Her other habits include drinking a homemade blend of aloe vera juice, apple cider vinegar, ginger and ‘a little gin’ every day.
The 105-year-old woman also brushes her teeth daily with baking soda – something she believes has allowed her to keep all of her original teeth and not have her first tooth decay until she is 99 years old.
‘We would just think,’ Grandma, what are you doing? You’re crazy, ” his granddaughter, Shawn Laws O’Neil, 53, told the Times. ‘Now laughter is upon us. She won it all happened to her. ‘
Born in Maui, Hawaii, in 1916, the son of a Guatemalan mother and Spanish father, DeClerck lived through the Spanish flu pandemic, two world wars and the deaths of three husbands and a son.
She once lived in Wyoming, California, and even returned to Hawaii for a while, before settling in New Jersey in the late 1970s, where she lived with her eldest son Henry Laws III and his wife, Lillie Jean.
After celebrating his 90th birthday, DeClerck moved to an adult community in Manahawkin, along the Jersey Shore, where he remained incredibly active until he crashed on Christmas Day 2017 and moved to Mystic Meadows.
“She is the epitome of perseverance,” granddaughter Shawn told the Times. ‘Her mind is so sharp. She will remember things when I was a child that I don’t even remember. ‘
Despite being considered a high-risk patient due to her age, DeClerck showed no serious symptoms of the virus and was back in her room in two weeks, holding the rosary and wearing her knitted hat and characteristic sunglasses
Now, having kicked the virus, DeClerck has earned a new nickname from his two surviving children, five grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren and 11 great-grandsons: ‘The 105-year old badass who kicked Covid’ (DeClerck shown to the center with family members)
She was born in Maui, Hawaii, in 1916, the daughter of a Guatemalan mother and a Spanish father. She lived through the Spanish flu pandemic, two world wars and the death of three husbands and a son
DeClerck is the oldest resident of Mystic Meadows – and a firm favorite among employees and residents, according to Neiman.
‘She’s just the sweetest,’ Neiman told NJ.com.
After the positive test for COVID on January 25, DeClerck was reportedly scared and struggled to be isolated from her regular caregivers and other residents.
“We were very concerned,” his son Phillip told the Times. – But she has unbelievable tenacity.
DeClerck is one of 62 Mystic Meadows residents who have contracted the virus since the pandemic began last March. Four of them died, including three who were receiving palliative care, the Times reported.
“We are as careful as possible,” said Neiman, “but this [virus] find a way to sneak in. ‘
Neiman described DeClerck, a devout Catholic, as ‘a little scared’ when she was diagnosed, but said she continued to insist that ‘God will protect me’.
Now, after kicking the virus, DeClerck got a new nickname from his two surviving children, five grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren and 11 great-grandsons: ‘The 105-year-old tough guy who kicked Covid.’
She said that surviving COVID-19 may have something to do with another staple in her life: the consumption of nine golden raisins soaked in gin every morning, which she ate for most of her life.
DeClerck is the oldest resident of the Mystic Meadows nursing home in Little Egg Harbor (above) – and a staunch favorite among employees and residents.
DeClerck was also surprised by a call from New Jersey governor Phil Murphy on Monday morning.
Murphy later described the conversation as an “uplifting conversation” during a coronavirus press conference.
For the DeClerck family, they say they are postponing birthday celebrations until the end of the pandemic.
In the meantime, Shawn says the whole family is ‘running around and picking up canning jars’ to fill with raisins soaked in gin in an effort to ‘catch up’.
DeClerck is not the oldest person to survive the virus. Europe’s oldest known resident, Sister Andre, tested positive for the virus at 116.
Andre reportedly celebrated his 117th birthday earlier this month with a glass of champagne at a nursing home in Toulon, in the south of France, after defeating the virus.
DeClerck, however, said he is counting every day after the coronavirus scare as a blessing.
‘I am very happy to be here. Thank you, Jesus, ‘she told NJ.com.