Thórunn Mayer, an American of Icelandic origin, celebrated her 100th birthday in Iceland with her family last weekend, living up to a promise she made her relatives ten years ago when she celebrated her 90th birthday in Iceland.
From Eyrarbakki where Mayer’s mother was born. Photo by Páll Stefánsson.
Mayer’s actual birthday was on Saturday. Yesterday she and 12 of her family members who accompanied her to Iceland traveled to the birthplaces of her parents, Eyrarbakki and Stokkseyri in the southwest, ruv.is reports.
Mayer, who was born in the US, has always nurtured her Icelandic roots. Her grandfather taught her Icelandic and although she isn’t fluent, she remembers some phrases and one verse.
She came to Iceland for the first time in 1970 and has often returned since, the last time to celebrate her 90th birthday when she promised she would be back in ten years.
Mayer is fit for her age. She said she neither smokes nor drinks coffee and exercises regularly. But the main reason for reaching such a high age is her Icelandic genes, she maintained.
Click here to see a picture of the birthday girl.
