A remarkable life journey spanning more than a century reached a new milestone this week, as long-time Orange Walk Town resident Cosme Duran celebrated his 108th birthday.
Born in late September 1918 in the small community of Progreso, located in Belize’s Corozal District, Duran spent his childhood and early adolescence rooted in the close-knit village life of his birthplace before relocating permanently to Orange Walk Town, where he has resided for decades.
In his younger working years, Duran earned his living as a chiclero, a traditional trade centered on harvesting sap from the sapodilla tree to produce natural chewing gum, a role that shaped much of his early adult experience in northern Belize. As he entered his later years, he built a quiet, steady routine in his adopted hometown that his family says brought him deep joy.
When he turned 105 in 2023, Duran’s relatives shared updates on his day-to-day life: despite losing vision in one eye, he retained the ability to walk unassisted and carry on clear, warm conversations with loved ones. Among his most beloved pastimes, they noted, was trips to Orange Walk’s Central Park, where he would spend hours sitting calmly, watching the world go by and soaking in the familiar sights of the community he called home.
Three years on from that 105th celebration, Duran has hit another extraordinary marker, joining the tiny global group of people who have lived to see their 108th birthday. Beyond his long life, Duran leaves a legacy as a father to seven children, who gathered with him to mark this latest milestone.