The longest human lifespan documented was a French woman named Jeanne Calment. Calment was born on Feb. 21, 1875 — about 14 years before the Eiffel Tower was built — and died on Aug. 4, 1997, at 122 years old and 164 days. Before her death in February 2024, Edith Ceccarelli was America’s oldest living person and believed to be the oldest Californian ever at 116 years old.