Oldest Identical Twins Turn 103, Offer Answers to Long Life
The world's oldest identical twins recently celebrated their 103rd birthdays in Daytona Beach, Fla. The twins, Charlotte and Ann, never expected to live this long and are grateful to have "all of their facilities," including their teeth.
"I feel wonderful," Charlotte Eisgrou told the News-Journal Online. "I have no special plans [for my birthday] unless they surprise me. I like to go downstairs. There's always something to do. I make it a point to get it," she explained.
The twins were born on Christmas Eve in 1909, back when premature babies were not expected to survive. Their parents wrapped them in blankets and put them on the open door of a stove in order to provide the necessary warmth, thanks to a doctor's guidance.
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"It's the genes," Ann Primack told the New-Journal when asked about the key to longevity. "Genes are the whole thing. And we were never fat."
"And it's milk," Eisgrou added. "We drank milk. It's milk and the genes. I don't know the secret to a long life. And I wouldn't tell you if I knew it. I'm more outspoken. My sister, she's the quiet one."
When told that they were the oldest twins in the world, Primack responded, "I didn't know that. That's wonderful. I can't believe it, that I've reached that age. The good thing is our minds are sharp. That's the only good thing."
Back in the day, the twins revealed, they used to go to the synagogue; they would often switch husbands as part of a practical joke.
"I used to visit Daytona, and we'd switch husbands and walk in the temple," Primack said. "And they'd say to me, 'Charlotte, you look so good!'"
Both married only once and each had one son. They speak to each other every day via phone but were unable to spend their milestone birthday together because each had suffered injuries in a fall.
"Who would have thunk it?" Eisgrou asked. "My father would have danced in the air. He'd be so happy."
