At the end of August 2020, representatives of the Guinness Book of Records visited the spouses Julio Mora Tapia and Valdramine Quinteros and entered the names of the couple in it. The venerable Senor Tapia is now 111 years old, his wife Vildramina is a little younger: she is 105.

The record holders got married on February 7, 1941, secretly from their parents, without receiving the blessing of their families. The groom was almost 31 years old, the bride was 26 years old!

The couple has been married for 79 years, but they were inducted into the Guinness Book of World Records for other reasons as well. There are longer marriage unions in the world as well.

The Guinness Commission always selects a couple with a large total age. Senor Tapia and his wife have a total of 217 years. Both members of the family are retired teachers who live in Quito, Ecuador.

Despite their advanced age, both have a clear mind and are in good physical shape, according to one of Cecilia’s daughters. This is what continuous mental activity throughout life means!

The couple has four children, eleven grandchildren, twenty-one great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandson. Julio and Vildramina pushed a couple from the United States — John and Charlotte Henderson, whose combined age is 212 years — into the Book of Records.