Gwyneth is 102 and all she wanted for her birthday was a stripper

"It's Gwyneth to a T... she is one hell of a woman!"
At 102-years-old, Gwyneth Griffiths isn't your average centenarian. Far from slowing down, this feisty and spirited woman is proving that age is just a number, and she's certainly not letting it get in the way. Whether it's swearing like a trooper, winding people up or requesting a stripper for her birthday - yes, you read that correctly - Gwyneth is a force to be reckoned with.
Originally from the small village of Dowlais in Merthyr Tydfil, Gwyneth's life has unfolded against the backdrop of some of the 20th century's most pivotal moments. Born just four years after World War I, she has lived through the turmoil of World War II, witnessed the hardships of the Great Depression and had a front row seat for everything from the Space Race to the Vietnam War.
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She would often tell incredible stories, one of which about her own father, who survived a gunshot wound to the head during the Battle of the Somme.
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Gwyneth married her first husband at the age of 18. They were together for 25 years, during which time, they had two sons. At one point, the family of four lived in a small two-up, two-down terrace house in the heart of the village that Gwyneth grew up in. They shared this space with five other people: Gwyneth's mother, two sisters, daughter-in-law and new grandchild.
Peter, Gwyneth's youngest son, described the community as "fantastic", but admitted that the house became unfit to live in.
Eventually, Gwyneth and her family - along with most of the street - were relocated to the Gurnos Estate. This came with a delightful surprise - an indoor toilet. "My granny bless her, thought it was disgusting!" Peter laughs. "Things were so different back then."
When asked what his mother was like growing up, Peter shared that she was very quiet and mild mannered. "She wouldn't say boo to a goose," he said. "She always gave me a row about how much I swore - she wouldn't even say the word 'bloody'." It is hard to reconcile this reserved woman with the vibrant, cheeky Gwyneth he knows today.
After her marriage ended, Gwyneth remarried and moved to Swansea, where she still resides to this day. For the last few years, she has lived in Hawthorn Court Care Home in Sketty, where she has become a much-loved resident.
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The staff there affectionately call her the "Queen" of the home, citing her mischievous sense of humour and feisty personality. Her son attributes the change of characteristics to dementia, which likely developed nearly seven years ago.
Though she has never been officially diagnosed, it is clear to anyone who knows her that something has shifted.
"It's funny to see the changes," Peter said. "As I said, she wouldn't say 'bloody' growing up, but now you can't get anything out of her that doesn't start with 'effing this, effing that'."
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However, it's not just the language that has changed. Gwyneth has also developed an appetite for fun and boldness that might surprise those who remember her quieter days.
When the manager of Hawthorn, Teri, was asked about Gwyneth's behaviour at the care home, she couldn't help but laugh. "Well for her birthday, she asked for a stripper," she said.
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Teri went on to explain that each of Hawthorn's 22 residents have been invited to make a wish on the care home's "wishing tree". Some asked to go to the Liberty Stadium to watch the football, but Gwyneth's request was a little more unusual. "She said 'It is my birthday coming up, so I would like a stripper'."
Understandably, the staff decided to compromise, arranging a butler in the buff to make an appearance instead. "I can't say I was surprised," Teri chuckled. "It's Gwyneth to a T... she is one hell of a woman!"
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Peter couldn't believe it when he heard the news. Shaking his head, he admitted: "When I spoke to her about it she told me: 'I hope I get a cheeky pinch of his bum!'"
When it comes to Gwyneth's personality, there's another character that has become a central part of her story at the care home: Dr John.
Teri shared that every Sunday, Gwyneth "marries" Dr John, an imaginary figure who has taken on a very real role in her world. "Dr John is a police doctor," said Peter bewildered. "We don't know where he came from, but she's convinced he's real. I have never met him, but my son, who is a police officer himself, knows all about him."
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The "wedding" itself has become a weekly tradition at Hawthorn. "Every Saturday she's got the have her hair done ready for the wedding and she invites us all," Teri said. "She even wears a tiara for it - she's a darling."
It's this unrelenting zest for life that has defined Gwyneth, even as the years have stacked up. In the face of dementia, health scares and the challenges with getting older, she continues to keep going - often in ways no one expects.
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One example of this is the five heart attacks that she experienced - all within 24 hours. "Around five years ago, I had a call from the hospital. She had three heart attacks alone, in the ambulance and it didn't look good.
"We were going on holidays that night - I went up in the afternoon, then we were told to leave at midnight. My son went up then. They said they didn't know what to do because of her age. If they didn't do anything - she would die, if they operate - she could die. I said that 'You got to do what you got to do'.
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"He phoned me after the operation saying he couldn't get over it - she was like a 16-year-old! She flew through the operation no problem at all, and was sitting up wanting a cup of tea afterwards."
And it's not just her resilience that stands out; it's the sheer will to keep going. Even after battling Covid twice, Gwyneth was quick to brush it off as "just a cold".
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"We call her the Duracell bunny," Peter laughed. "She is just unbelievable! Maybe it's because she hasn't accepted she is 102. When she turned 100, she was one of the first people to receive a letter from the King. She just looked at it and said, 'Oh, tell this b*****d, I'm only 45, so stick this card up his a**e!'"
Just recently, Peter tried again to remind his mother just how old she is. "When I went to see her the other day, I told her 'mam, you're 101, you're turning 102 soon' and she just said - 'no I am not - look at my t**s, not a wrinkle!'"
As Gwyneth moves through each day, it's clear that she's not simply existing; she's living life on her own terms.
That being said, when asked what her secret to a long life is, Peter said: "You could say it's the genes - she had two sisters, both of whom lived to a very good age. One lived to 98 and the other lived to a day before her 99th.
"But we all think it's the Famous Grouse!"

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