Say Happy Birthday to Facebook's Oldest Member
You'll never guess the age of the social media maven.
— -- Edythe Kirchmaier, Facebook's oldest registered user, turns 107 on Tuesday.
Kirchmaier earned the distinction of being the social networking site's oldest member when her friends at the medical aid charity Direct Relief signed her up for an account on her 105th birthday. It took the site's engineers a month to verify her age and fix the glitch, something they'd never had to do before, Direct Relief's spokeswoman Kerri Murray said.
Last year, she was designated the site’s second-oldest user after 114-year-old Anna Stoehr of Plainview, Minnesota, signed up for an account. Sadly, Stoehr passed away last month.
Born in 1908, 49 years before the Internet was invented, Kirchmaier said she embraces social media because it allows her to check in daily with friends and family. She's also used her status to raise awareness for causes she believes in, such as Direct Relief.
“The biggest change I've seen during my lifetime has to do with the way we communicate with one another,” Kirchmaier told ABC News. “It's just incredible how technology is helping us connect with others throughout the world.”
The centenarian said she cherishes her Facebook relationships but still believes in the power of the pen. Every Tuesday for the past 42 years, she heads to Direct Relief's headquarters in Santa Barbara, California, to hand-write thank-you letters to the charity's donors.
Kirchmaier said she drove herself to the office up until last year. But after 88 years with a perfect driving record she no longer gets behind the wheel due to health reasons. Instead, her 100-year-old friend Gina Vera now chauffeurs her to appointments.
Kirchmaier said she is awed by the power of social media. Though the only other social app she uses is Words With Friends, she has more than 55,000 followers on her personal Facebook page. The fan page Direct Relief set up for her two years ago has nearly 130,000 likes.
Users can go to the page to donate to the charity and sign up for volunteer opportunities. Or just to wish her a very happy birthday.
“People have sent such thoughtful notes, particularly around my birthdays,” she said.
