Keeping a diary and growing strawberries: a 100-year-old resident of Sumy region revealed the secret of longevity.

The secret of longevity of Hanna Kravchenko

‘You have to work hard’, - this is how Hanna Kravchenko from Spaske in Sumy region talks about her secret to longevity. In June, the woman turned 100 years old. Hanna Ivanivna has a daughter, two granddaughters, four great-grandchildren, and three great-great-grandchildren. There is a 99-year age difference with her youngest great-great-grandchild. As reported by ‘Hlavkom’, this is mentioned in the story by ‘Suspilne’.

At her age of 100, she keeps a personal diary that she does not show to anyone. She carefully records the most important events of her family and village. Moreover, Ms. Hanna loves to work in her garden - a year ago, she herself grew and tended strawberries. She says that even though she is already 100, she can celebrate her birthday twice.

The life story of Hanna Kravchenko

‘When they said they would take me to Germany, we were hiding - and that was it. My mother then left everything and went to the doctor. She asked him to write that I was sick with a light illness. And so I was not taken to Germany. Then my mother registered me as born in 1925, not 1924. And then when they started taking people to Germany, we hid in the woods, in houses, everywhere. Then we were sent to Russia to work - to build a railway, ties’, - recalls the centenarian.

The real birthday of Ms. Hanna is on December 22. She grew up in a large family. The centenarian recalls her brothers and sisters: ‘Motrya, Kulina, and four boys - Tyshko, Prokip, Andriy, and Ivan’.