The Doctor Who Lived to 103 Had a Ten-Year Plan at 102
What I learned from Dr. Gladys McGarey about purpose, hard times, and why everything needs to move
Hi, it’s Diana from Healthy Seniors,
This year, I want to do something a little different. Alongside our usual tips and stories, I want to share books that have genuinely moved me — the kind that make you sit back and think, “Okay, I needed to hear that.”
The first one? The Well Lived Life by Dr. Gladys McGarey.
If you haven’t heard of Dr. Gladys, buckle up. This woman was extraordinary.
Who Is Dr. Gladys McGarey?
Dr. Gladys McGarey lived to 103 years old (she passed away in September 2024, just two months shy of 104). But here’s what makes her story incredible: she didn’t just live a long time — she lived fully, right up to the end.
She was born in 1920 in the Himalayan foothills of India, where her parents were missionary doctors treating lepers and the “untouchables” no one else would help. At age nine, she looked out a train window and saw Mahatma Gandhi leading his famous Salt March.
She came to the United States at 16, became a doc…