Nina Rust

Nina Rust (June 18, 1881 – January 6, 1993) was an American verified supercentenarian. She was born in Hainseville, Nebraska, as one of 11 children. She later moved to Oregon. She had 12 children in total. In 1955, she started living with one of her daughters. Her life story was included in Jim Heynen’s book ”One Hundred over 100”.

When she was 100 years old, she travelled by airplane for the first time in her life. On her birthday that same year, she rode on the back of an elephant. At 103, she published a book about her life called ”Dear Reader”. It was written by her daugher Phyllis McMeekin. At age 104, she stated that her longevity was due to staying away from doctors. At age 106, she rode a motorcycle. At age 107, she had a contact lens implanted in one eye, so that she could continue her favourite game Scrabble.

In 1990, she was invited to appear on talk shows ”Good Morning America” and ”Johnny Carson’s Tonight Show”. She had to decline the offer due to poor hearing and eyesight. She moved to a nursing home in 1991. On the occasion of her 111th birthday, McMeekin revealed that Rust wasn’t in any pain and didn’t take any medicine. She was under five feet as a centenarian.