Most of us dream of reaching a ripe old age — looking back on a full, meaningful life while still having the energy to enjoy the days ahead. But what truly determines how long we live?
Healthy habits like eating well and exercising certainly help, but one woman who has crossed the century mark believes there’s much more to it.
Meet Ann Angeletti, a 101-year-old businesswoman from New York who still works six days a week in the city’s famous Diamond District. Beloved by customers and colleagues alike, Ann is living proof that age doesn’t have to slow you down.
In an interview with ABC7 NY, Ann shared the four daily habits that keep her going strong: get up, shower, eat well, and exercise. Simple, but nonnegotiable.
“Take care of yourself,” she said. “If you don’t like what you’re doing, then change. But always make the most of the day.”
Her story began long before her jewelry shop, Curiosity Jewelry in Cresskill, ever opened its doors. She left school early to help her family run a grocery store in Brooklyn and later worked as a waitress while her husband served in World War II. After the war, she followed her entrepreneurial spirit and opened her own jewelry business — one she still manages with help from her daughter and granddaughter.
Ann recalls finding the store space back in 1964: “I was driving by, saw it was for rent, and called the owner. The rent was $85 a month,” she laughed.
Even now, though her store officially opens five days a week, Ann insists on working six. Retirement, she says, is simply not an option. “If I retire, I would die,” she told reporters matter-of-factly.
For Ann, longevity isn’t about chasing youth — it’s about staying active, caring for yourself, and living with purpose. “I’m happy working every day,” she said. “That’s what keeps me alive.”
