Great-grandma to 108 kids shares the secret to her success
A record-breaking Australian family - all descended from the same remarkable woman - have gotten together for the first time in over a decade to celebrate their matriarch - 88-year-old Jessie Pisconeri.
As A Current Affair reporter Brady Halls found out while attending the family’s get together, Jessie is the great-grandmother to a staggering 108 great-grandchildren. Her vast lineage doesn’t stop there, however, starting with her eight children, moving on to her 35 grandchildren, their 108 kids, and then her three precious great-great-grandchildren.
And somehow, Jessie manages to remember each and every one of their names, as she demonstrated to Brady with a unique family parade.
Jessie launched her family tree with late husband Cossie when she was only 18 years old. The pair got together at 15, engaged at 16, and married at 17, before welcoming their first child at just 18. From there, they had eight kids, all in the span of 9 years.
Cossie may not be with her anymore, nor their late son Larry, but they’re always close to her heart, with Jessie telling Brady “I miss my husband very much, and I miss my son [Larry] a lot.”
Her many, many descendants keep her occupied as well, leaving no time for loneliness to catch up with her, especially as she’s “hardly ever home because they keep me busy.”
However, Jessie’s children were quick to point out that their mother is still “very independent”, and maintains a “good attitude” when it comes to all aspects of her life. And, as a note dear to their hearts, they also consider her to be a “good cook”, counting it among her finest qualities.
And while the younger generations may have some trouble deciding who among them is Jessie’s favourite, it seems a non-issue to the 88-year-old, whose priorities instead saw her note that “they do love me, they all love me, and I love them.”
It was that same love that brought them all to the same location in Mildura, northwest Victoria. The last time the entire bunch had been gathered - minus a few newer members - had been in 2010, when “they all got together for a family photo.”
For those wondering just how Jessie keeps up with it all, the answer - at least in her expert opinion - is actually quite straightforward: “just go with the flow”.
Images: A Current Affair / Nine