Willesden great-grandmother celebrates her 100th birthday
Family describe widow ‘as cat with nine lives’
A great-grandmother whose family describe her ‘as a cat with nine lives’ celebrated her 100th birthday last week.
Cheerful Soledade Pontes was surrounded by her grandchildren and great-grandchildren at her special birthday party in Willesden Court Nursing Home on Friday.
The married mother-of-three moved to Kendal Road, in Dollis Hill, 42 years ago after leaving her native home of Madeira, Portugal.
She married husband Antonio and together they had three children, Anabella, Juvenal and Orlando.
You may also want to watch:
Antonio, who suffered a stroke, sadly died in 1976, and Orlando died in 1998.
She has two grandchildren, Emmanuel and Steven and two great-grandchildren, Lara, eight and Paige, five.
Most Read
- 1 Two schoolboys arrested after community officer 'assaulted' in Wembley
- 2 Don't take our parking, shout Wembley neighbours
- 3 Queen's Park nursery forced to close following damning Ofsted report
- 4 Pink mob: Two Harlesden women among gang jailed for drug offences valued at £2million
- 5 'LTN’s have been foisted upon us by a council who will not listen to its residents'
- 6 Born and bred Brent residents now priced out of £6.5m homes
- 7 QPR boss Mark Warburton unfazed by prospect of losing Ilias Chair
- 8 Brent Council reignites campaign to tackle paan spitting
- 9 The Chase's Dark Destroyer makes Covid vaccine film with Brent Council
- 10 Boys, 14, charged with assaulting community officer
A loving mother and grandmother, Mrs Pontes has devoted her whole life to bringing up her family.
Despite ill health last year and relatives being told to expect the worst, the centenarian fought back and was in good spirits at her birthday celebrations.
Kari Da Costa, 38, who is married to her grandson Steven, said: “It’s a miracle that she is still here. It’s amazing.
“In October she got pneumonia and a chest infection. We were told to expect the worst but she pulled through. She is like a cat with nine lives.”
When asked what the key to having a long life is, Mrs Da Costa said: “I’m sure living off a diet of olive oil, garlic and lots of sunshine is the secret. She just goes on and on. She’s our Queen Mother.
“My children love spending time with her and she still likes to get her hair and nails done. She’s an inspiration.”
