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A Georgia woman who just celebrated her 112th birthday credits her longevity to staying close to her family and embracing her strong religious faith.
Mabel Dunbar, of Fayetteville, Georgia, was born in Jamaica in 1914. She is the mother of one, grandmother of four and a great-grandmother, and was honored by loved ones on her birthday Sept. 5 with a custom berry cake, flowers and a crown, FOX 5 Atlanta reported.
“God is love and I love my families,” Dunbar said at her party. “I love all my families and strangers.”
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Fayetteville resident Mabel Dunbar reflects on reaching her 112th birthday milestone surrounded by loved ones at her metro Atlanta home on September 5, 2026. (FOX 5 Atlanta)
Those who know her describe Dunbar as “deeply religious, pleasant and talkative,” according to FOX 5.
She spent her life serving others and remaining active, the station reported. Until recently, Dunbar still enjoyed cooking and made breakfast for herself every morning. She also enjoyed sharing stories with visitors.
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After moving to Florida to live with her daughter in 1994, Dunbar relocated to Fayetteville in August 2025 to live with her granddaughter and grandson-in-law.
Family remains an important part of Dunbar’s daily life, according to FOX 5.
“Treat them the best you can, because they are important,” Dunbar said of younger generations, specifically her grandchildren. “You need them when you can’t help yourself like me. These good people are on me all the time, and I’m happy to see them when they come.”
A custom berry cake decorated for Mabel Dunbar’s 112th birthday milestone sits ready for family festivities in Fayetteville on September 5, 2026. (FOX 5 Atlanta)
Leading oncologist and University of Pennsylvania bioethicist Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel has identified several principles for living longer and reducing disease risk.
They include prioritizing an active social life, staying mentally active with new hobbies and opportunities to learn, limiting processed and sugary foods and drinks without being overly restrictive, engaging in moderate exercise and getting proper sleep, Fox News Digital previously reported.
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Emanuel also recommends avoiding obviously dangerous activities and behaviors.
Religious involvement has also been associated with greater longevity, research has suggested.
Generations of family gather around 112-year-old Mabel Dunbar at her Fayetteville home to celebrate her long life and Jamaican heritage. (FOX 5 Atlanta)
In a 2016 study published in JAMA Internal Medicine, researchers at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health examined religious service attendance and health outcomes among 74,534 women over 16 years.
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They found that women who attended religious services more than once a week had a 33% lower risk of dying during the follow-up period compared with women who never attended religious services.
Family members place a sparkling birthday crown on 112-year-old Mabel Dunbar during a milestone celebration at her Fayetteville home. (FOX 5 Atlanta)
Weekly attendance was associated with a 26% lower risk, while attendance less than once a week was associated with a 13% lower risk. Regular attendees also tended to smoke less, experience fewer depressive symptoms and have stronger social support, the researchers reported in 2016.
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The world’s oldest documented living person is Ethel Caterham, of England, who turned 117 in August.
Caterham previously told The Associated Press that she credited her long life to “never arguing with anyone,” adding, “I listen, and I do what I like.”
