A kind heart and faith are a North Carolina centenarian’s secret to a long life.
Catherine Ferrell celebrated her 110th birthday on Monday, Oct. 10, when she received birthday wishes from President Joe Biden and North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper. The Durham, North Carolina, resident told WNCN that her long life is a testament to her faith.
“Treat people like you want to be treated. That’s all I know,” Ferrell said. “If they don’t treat you like that, respect them and keep on moving. Don’t get mad and fall out. Just keep on moving and doing what you’ve been taught to do.”
Ferrell was born in 1912 in Warsaw, North Carolina. She has lived through the Great Depression, the civil rights movement, and now the COVID-19 pandemic. The fashion-forward woman doesn’t sit still. She spends her days attending Mt. Gilead Baptist Church and local events in Durham. She also updates her Facebook page on community events and happenings.
Ferrell was honored by the National Council of Negro Women Inc. Durham for her dedication to the community in June 2021. She celebrated her birthday this week with family and friends.
The number of centenarians in the U.S. has tripled since the 1980s, Census data shows. There were 100,322 people 100 years and older in 2019. The current life expectancy for Black Americans is about 73 years, according to the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America.
Georgia centenarian Relda Mackins told Atlanta Black Star in August that a healthy lifestyle and avoiding alcohol and tobacco might be the reason she has lived for 109 years. Mackins rides a stationary bicycle and walks on a treadmill regularly, according to her caregiver.
Mackins also attributes her long life to her faith.
“You have to ask (Jesus Christ) about that,” Mackins said when asked about her secret to longevity.
