This photo provided by the Sainte-Catherine Laboure care home communications manager shows Lucile Randon, Sister Andre's birth name, in Toulon, southern France, Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2021. A 116-year-old French nun who is believed to be the world’s second-oldest person has survived COVID-19. French media reported that Sister André tested positive for the coronavirus in mid-January in France’s southern city of Toulon. (Sainte-Catherine Laboure care home/ David Tavella via AP)
A 116-year-old French nun who is believed to be the world’s second-oldest person has survived COVID-19 and is looking forward to celebrating her 117th birthday on Thursday.
The Gerontology Research Group, which validates details of people thought to be 110 or older, lists Frenchwoman Lucile Randon — Sister André's birth name - as the second-oldest known living person in the world.
French media report that Sister André tested positive for the virus in mid-January in the southern French city of Toulon. But just three weeks later, the nun is considered recovered.
“I didn’t even realize I had it,” she told French newspaper Var-Matin.
Sister André, who is blind and uses a wheelchair, did not even worry when she received her diagnosis.
“She didn’t ask me about her health, but about her habits,” David Tavella, the communications manager for the care home where the nun, told the newspaper. “For example, she wanted to know if meal or bedtime schedules would change. She showed no fear of the disease. On the other hand, she was very concerned about the other residents.”
Not all of the home's residents shared Sister André’s luck. In January, 81 of the 88 residents tested positive for the virus, and about 10 of them died, according to Var-Matin.
Once doctors declared the nun no longer infected, she was allowed to attend Mass.
“This truly is The One Where Our Hearts Are Broken,” “Friends” co-creators Marta Kauffman and David Crane, along with executive producer Kevin Bright, said in a joint statement Sunday.
Nancy Mello, an animal communicator with Medium, joined Cheddar News to discuss how her love of animals led to a change from doing readings with people and spoke of her experiences and the process of helping animals. Mello also does a live pet reading in studio.
A study published this week in the Journal Frontiers in Pain Research found that listening to sad songs when you're in pain could actually help relieve that pain.
The Statue of Liberty is one of the most famous attractions in New York City but there's a lot more to this landmark than one may think. Rafael Abreu, vice president of marketing with Statue City Cruises, spoke with Cheddar News to discuss the park's operations and Park Ranger Laurel Brierly also joined from inside the statue's famed crown to talk about visiting the landmark.
