Woman with 600 descendants poses for "special" family photo
A 98-year-old woman from Kentucky in the US has welcomed a brand new great-great-great-grandchild.
MaeDell Taylor Hawkins held seven-month-old Zhavia Whitaker while surrounded by her daughter and grandchildren as they posted for the incredible family photo.
The photo was posted by the matriarch's granddaughter Gracie Snow Howell and has since gone viral.
MaeDell now has 600 direct descendants – thanks to her daughters and grandchildren all having children of their own when they were 19 years of age.
We thought this was special because it's all girls," Gracie, who appeared alongside MaeDell, told People magazine.
The viral photo features MaeDell's daughter Frances Snow, granddaughters Gracie Snow Howell, great-granddaughter Jacqueline Ledford and great-great-granddaughter, and Zhavia's mother, Jaisline Wilson.
Gracie recalled MaeDell's long life, as she prepares for her 99th birthday celebrations in July.
MaeDell first married in 1940 when she was 16 to a 50-year-old railroad worker with 10 children from a previous relationship, Fox News reported.
Her husband Bill Taylor was frequently away for work but the two managed to have 13 kids together, Gracie told the news outlet.
"I know she had it hard, but she didn't complain," Gracie told People.
MaeDell's love and sacrifice for her family has set the foundation for her future generations, with the family already planning to take an updated family photo for MaeDell's upcoming birthday.
"If everything goes well, the baby's doing well, Grandma's doing well - we're all going to meet back in June and get another picture," Gracie told the news outlet.
When tallying up Hawkins' biological and step-descendants, she is linked to 623 people, according to a family chart made by Janice Taylor, her daughter-in-law.
In terms of direct descendants, she now has 106 grandchildren, 222 great-grandchildren, 234 great-great-grandchildren and 38 great-great-great-grandchildren combined, thanks to the joyous arrival of baby Zhavia.
Image credits: Facebook