Over the past century there have been significant events in history, like the invention of the television and the moon landings, which Mercedes Aminta DeCollado has lived through.
Born August 13, 1908, DeCollado is turning 101 years old and she’s grateful to still be able to experience life.
“With old people, we are never good,” said Elmhurst resident DeCollado about her health.
Originally from San Jose de las Matas, a small town in the vast pastures of north central Dominican Republic, DeCollado – the oldest of her siblings – came to the United States in 1974, at the age of 68.
DeCollado, who doesn’t quite remember the number of siblings she had because her father had many children, married at age 20 – and had a lot of kids of her own. From her two marriages, she had a total of 18 children, of which only 12 survived into adulthood.
When she became a widow, DeCollado took on the role of the sole-breadwinner in her household. Despite her full load, she became the first in her town to have a vehicle and own a meat store – left to her by her second husband – along with acres of rice and coffee fields.
After many years of living in the Dominican Republic, and after her children got married, she left her country with her only single daughter, Thelma DeCollado, and came to New York. DeCollado quickly became fascinated with the city.
“The snow, the snow,” DeCollado said was her most memorable moment, since she had never seen the stuff before.
From her childhood, DeCollado remembers her Dominican history well.
“I know a lot about [Rafael] Trujillo and [Joaquin] Balaguer,” she said about the former dictator and former president, respectively, of the Dominican Republic. “Not personally but I know of them.”
In addition to the Dominican history, DeCollado talked about the differences in United States and the Dominican Republic.
“If I stayed there, I would not be living today,” explained DeCollado about the difference in healthcare between the United States and the Dominican Republic, which she says helped her reach her age.
“At 50, I did not celebrate [my birthday] big and it was nothing really,” she said. “Then the 100th birthday came and it really hit me, [that she reached that age].” An age she celebrated in fashion, as she had a surprise birthday party with all her family friends.
For her upcoming birthday, DeCollado says she wants to dance to bachata and merengue, which she says she enjoys more.
“Now, I dance more – more than when I was 50.”
