One of the recipients was 111-year-old Maria Aulenbacher, the oldest known person in the state of South Carolina – and became one of the oldest people to be vaccinated against COVID-19 on Friday.
Aulenbacher lives with her daughter and son-in-law near the Blue Ridge Mountains, and two of her grandchildren and a great-grandchild live in the area.
Yet she lived most of her life in Germany and moved to the United States shortly after her 100th birthday. Her family affectionately calls her ‘omi’, which in German means ‘grammy’.
The centenarian is incredibly optimistic. She loves her family, reading and sleeping, and has a daily ritual that convinces her that it has increased her lifespan.
“Everything is normal. I drink wine, I drink beer. I eat what I like,” she said.
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Aulenbacher was a young girl during the First World War and the flu pandemic in 1918. She became a widow in her thirties more than 75 years ago.
Her daughter and son-in-law said she had to be strong.
“We look forward to seeing her every morning, cheerful, ready for breakfast, a few cups of coffee, and tackling the day,” said Aulenbacher’s son-in-law Doug Dickerson.
Birgit Dickerson, her daughter, said she felt as if her mother’s vaccination COVID-19 was part of her civic duty.
“Everyone needs to get this vaccine because if we ever want to get over it, we all need to take the vaccine,” Birgit Dickerson said.
Aulenbacher is well aware that she is now a role model.
“I’m very glad I got the chance,” she said.
Aulenbacher joked that she hopes to live as long as Methusalah, a biblical figure who was up to 969 years old.
“I feel really blessed to be able to have her for so long, and I hope I have her for many years to come,” Birgit Dickerson said.
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