Skip to content
  • Happy Health
  • Happy Mindset
  • Animal Wonders
  • About Us
    • Team
  • Subscribe
Menu
  • Happy Health
  • Happy Mindset
  • Animal Wonders
  • About Us
    • Team
  • Subscribe
Happy News

What This Great-Grandmother Did At 90 Proves It’s Never Too Late

Maryette McFarland from Londonderry became the oldest of more than 300 graduates at the Open University’s ceremony in Belfast on Tuesday, finally earning her English Literature degree at age 90 after a 70-year journey that began in Dublin back in the 1960s. The great-grandmother had originally started her studies at Trinity Dublin but dropped out when love intervened, choosing to get married instead and later raising four children while her degree remained an unfinished dream she never stopped regretting. After recovering from a car accident years later, McFarland decided she had a bit of time to spare and wanted to do something meaningful, so she enrolled with the Open University to finally complete what she started seven decades earlier. Despite admitting she’s “very bad online,” McFarland received wonderful support from her family including four children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, with her daughter-in-law even teaching her how to type so she could manage the online coursework.

Her eldest daughter Shauna Gailey accompanied her mother to the graduation ceremony and said she’s incredibly proud, describing how McFarland used to sit on her sofa surrounded by piles of books with her laptop and tablet in front of her, throwing herself fully into her studies. The entire family came to Belfast for a big family lunch before watching Maryette walk across the stage, celebrating not just a degree but a testament to determination and patience that spanned most of her lifetime. McFarland’s lovely tutor provided tremendous support throughout her journey, helping her navigate the challenges of studying in a digital age when technology wasn’t her strongest skill. Her message to anyone who thinks they’re too old to learn new things is simple and powerful: if she can do it, anybody can do it, because it’s never too late to achieve your dreams no matter how much time has passed.

PrevPreviousThis MUSHROOM-Powered Toilet Changes Everything
NextThe MIT Researcher Saving Agriculture From ItselfNext

Recent Articles

Happy News

Rockstar Proves Compassion Matters More Than Secrecy

February 4, 2026

Rockstar Games has reportedly granted early access to Grand Theft Auto 6 for a terminally ill fan who was given only six to twelve months to live after battling cancer, proving that even one of gaming’s most secretive companies will make exceptions when compassion calls. The heartwarming story began when

Read More
Happy News

Cat Finally Came Home After FOUR YEARS

February 4, 2026

Four years after losing her beloved cat Tinsel in December 2021, Maggie DeGreenia from Vermont was lucky enough to find her again through a local shelter’s website thanks to her cousin recognizing Tinsel’s distinctive mustache marking that everyone knew right away. The 27 year old had tried everything when Tinsel

Read More
Happy News

This Artist Covered Rent For His Grandmother’s Building

February 4, 2026

ASAP Rocky covered rent for every tenant living in his grandmother’s Harlem apartment building on 140th and Lennox following the release of his fourth album Don’t Be Dumb, partnering with payments rewards program Bilt to give back to the community that shaped him into who he is today. The rapper

Read More
« Previous Next »
  • Privacy Notice
  • Accessibility Notice
  • Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information
  • Unsubscribe
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Privacy Notice
  • Accessibility Notice
  • Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information
  • Unsubscribe
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
Copyright © 2026 HappyNews.