The day you become a parent is a day you’ll remember forever. All of a sudden, there’s a little person in the world who depends on you. Your job is to make their life the best it can be and help them achieve their dreams.
In 2005, Adriana Iliescu became a mom for the first time. What made it big news? Well, she was 66 years old.
When Adriana welcomed her daughter Eliza into the world, she was overjoyed.
Now, 17 years later, people are talking about them again because new pictures of her daughter are getting a lot of attention.
Some days in life change everything. If you’re a parent, you know the amazing feeling when you welcome your son or daughter into the world. When that little child looks up at you for the first time, it’s the best feeling ever.
Some kids are so special that their birth becomes a part of history. That’s what happened to Eliza Iliescu when she was born in 2005 in Romania. Because of her mom, the girl became historic.
Eliza’s mom, Adriana Iliescu, was 66 years old when she became the world’s oldest mother at that time. This made headlines, and Eliza’s birth even got them into the Guinness Book of World Records.
In 2010, Adriana talked about being a mom and shared her feelings. Some people criticized her, thinking she was selfish and too old to be a mom.
“The mirror can be mean to women, but when it comes to my energy, I feel young. I feel like I’m 27, and on tired days, maybe 37. I’m healthier than women much younger than me,” she told Daily Mail.
“Some people try to be funny by calling me ‘granny,’ but having Eliza didn’t make me want to look younger. I don’t feel as old as I am.”
In her talk with the British newspaper, 71-year-old Adriana also mentioned that she was thinking about having another child.
“I’ve heard that it’s medically possible,” she said. “There are trials happening with a 70-year-old woman in England, so having another child could be done. I’m doing well, I’m healthy, and I believe it’s possible in the future. But right now, I’m not in a hurry.”
Just like many moms and daughters, Adriana and Eliza have a strong bond. Eliza is full of energy, funny, and a very happy child.
Even though some people have opinions about Adriana being older, she says she’s a good parent and does everything for Eliza.
“I don’t smoke and I don’t drink. If I live as long as my parents did, Eliza will be 20 by the time I pass away. I think I still have a lot to give her,” Adriana says.
Becoming a mother so late in life was not Adriana’s choice. When she was young and newlywed, Adriana Iliescu was forced to abort her baby for medical reasons. At 24, her husband abandoned her.
After that, Adriana focused on other things in life and at her teaching job at a university in Romania.
“I couldn’t even think about having a child because I was busy working,” she said. Later on, she explained:
“But when I turned 37, after finishing my doctorate, I was ready to have a child. Unfortunately, there was no IVF (in-vitro fertilization) available at that time.”
Adriana was 57 years old when in-vitro fertilization became an option in Romania. She received treatment, but her first attempt at pregnancy in 2000 was not successful.
People who heard about her ambition to be a mother turned their backs on her. They thought Adriana was doing something immoral – but she never lost hope, and her will to become a mother was unyielding.
She then turned to Dr. Bogdan Marinescu in Bucharest for treatment, which led to Eliza’s birth. In fact, Adriana became pregnant with triplets, but two of the babies died in the womb, and Eliza was the only one who survived. Unfortunately, she was born prematurely, so she spent a long time in the NICU.
Eliza grew up to be a strong girl, and her mom, Adriana, wanted to baptize her. But some religious groups didn’t like Adriana being a mom at her age. When Eliza got baptized, the nuns gave Adriana unfriendly looks, and one even called her names.
Adriana believes Eliza is a gift from God. It’s been 17 years since Adriana became a mom, and they’re having a great time together, even though people often think Adriana is Eliza’s grandma.
At 83 years old, Adriana still writes and has made over 25 books for children. She says she’s healthy and works part-time as a lecturer in Bucharest, even though she looks like a great-grandma.