108-year-old woman reveals the most heartwarming reason behind her long and fulfilling life

Being able to live 100 years is no joke in today's world. With everything that's happening with the climate, food and overall quality of life, it's no less than a miracle to be able to live so long with a functional body. However, have you ever wondered, how exactly can one live for so long? What is their secret? While some say it's exercise and lifestyle, others like Ada Daniel, say something completely out of the box.

Daniel, who lived a long life of 108 years until she passed away in October 2023, said that there was a secret to her long life. That secret was to have dogs,and lots of them, instead of kids. Sounds funny, right? However, that's exactly what she told Kelly Goucher, who was an activity coordinator at the nursing home in Derbyshire where she lived. That's exactly where she got famous as well. Coming back to Goucher, she told BBC News that she knew Daniel to be a character of sorts. When asked about what Daniel said her secret to a long life was when Goucher asked about it, the latter said, "I did ask her what her secret was once and she said it was to have dogs, not kids.”

That statement was totally true because Daniel and her husband actually had a lot of pets, greyhounds to be precise. Goucher said that since Daniel lived on Street Lane in Ripley, she used to call all of her greyhounds that as well. Anyone who's had a pet knows and agrees that pets are a lot of work, even if it's work you do out of love. This work involves and requires a lot of physical exertion and that's actually what kept Daniel healthy too. Up until she was 97 years old, she would take her dogs out for walks daily. In fact, she even moved into a nursing home when she was over 100 years old. 103, to be precise. She was as resilient as her body was and she didn't let the joy of little things pass by as she grew older.

Her birthday was on June 1st and she was as excited as ever for her 105th one. In fact, her excitement led to the staff of her nursing home asking everyone to send her cards. When this turned into a successful thing, they decided to do it every year. In fact, just a few months before her demise on her 108th birthday, she got 300 cards from people all over along with an extra special greeting. The special greeting was from King Charles and Queen Camilla, who wished her well and congratulated her on her birthday.

She was one of those people who lived a life full of happiness. Her never-give-up attitude, coupled with her wonderful sense of humor, as confirmed by Goucher, will always be remembered. There's a lot to be learned from Daniel—about how to live life and prioritize oneself, about how to never stop feeling happy and getting excited about the little things in life. She lived a full life and we're sure that she's in a better place now.