Image 1 of 1
Less

CIPG_20130630_NYT_Sardinia__MG_1325.jpg

Add to Lightbox Download

PERDASDEFOGU, SARDINIA, ITALY - 30 JUNE 2013: (L-R) Stefano Lai, 27 (here together with his girlfriend), and his cousing Alberto Lai, 19, walk walk towards the church for the the mass celebrating their grandmother Claudina Melis' 100th birthday in Perdasdefogu, Italy, on June 30th 2013. Stefano Lai is now doing a post-doctoral fellowship in biomedical engineering at the prestigious Scuola Sant’Anna in Pisa. He would like to stay in Sardinia, or even in Italy, but doesn’t have his hopes up. Alberto Lai lives and studies in Perdasdefogu.

Last year, the Melis family entered the Guinness Book of World Records for having the highest combined age of any nine living siblings on earth — today more than 825 years. The youngest sibling, Mafalda – the "little one" – is 79 years old.

The Melis siblings were all born in Perdasdefogu to Francesco Melis and Eleonora Mameli, who had a general store. Consolata, 106, is the oldest, then Claudia, 100; Maria, 98; Antonino, 94; Concetta, 92; Adolfo, 90; Vitalio, 87; Fida Vitalia, 81; and Mafalda, the baby at 79. Their descendants now account for about a third of the village.

Copyright
©2013 Gianni Cipriano
Image Size
5616x3744 / 6.3MB
www.giannicipriano.com
Keywords
Contained in galleries
20130629_NYT_Sardinia
PERDASDEFOGU, SARDINIA, ITALY - 30 JUNE 2013: (L-R) Stefano Lai, 27 (here together with his girlfriend), and his cousing Alberto Lai, 19, walk walk towards the church for the the mass celebrating their grandmother Claudina Melis' 100th birthday in Perdasdefogu, Italy, on June 30th 2013. Stefano Lai is now doing a post-doctoral fellowship in biomedical engineering at the prestigious Scuola Sant’Anna in Pisa. He would like to stay in Sardinia, or even in Italy, but doesn’t have his hopes up. Alberto Lai lives and studies in Perdasdefogu.<br /> <br /> Last year, the Melis family entered the Guinness Book of World Records for having the highest combined age of any nine living siblings on earth — today more than 825 years. The youngest sibling, Mafalda – the "little one" – is 79 years old.<br /> <br /> The Melis siblings were all born in Perdasdefogu to Francesco Melis and Eleonora Mameli, who had a general store. Consolata, 106, is the oldest, then Claudia, 100; Maria, 98; Antonino, 94; Concetta, 92; Adolfo, 90; Vitalio, 87; Fida Vitalia, 81; and Mafalda, the baby at 79. Their descendants now account for about a third of the village.