Dear Clients and Friends,
Ben and I wanted to share a wonderful story about Ben’s grandma, my mother-in-law, Marie Carpenter.
Marie turned 90 years old on March 3rd this past year, and our family threw her quite the surprise birthday celebration at a local clubhouse. It was a joyful evening of shared memories, celebrating the importance of family, and honoring the life and legacy of a remarkable woman.
Fourteen years ago, Marie lost her husband, Steve Carpenter. Following his passing, she made a personal commitment to remain active, healthy and independent for as long as possible. Since then, she has faithfully walked nearly 1.5 miles each day and attended her local gym three times a week. Just as important, she has built meaningful friendships and a strong sense of community through her commitment to staying active.
Last Christmas, two of our children, Brittany and Alex, accompanied Marie to her gym so she could show them her workout routine – which she was very excited about. During the visit, it became obvious that Marie was not only dedicated to exercise, but also deeply loved by the many friends she had made over the years.
At the end of her workout, Marie casually demonstrated a plank exercise — and held it for more than two minutes. Brittany and Alex were amazed.
Once Alex returned home after Christmas, he was curious about what he had observed with his grandma and began investigating the Guinness Book of World Records. He found the oldest woman to officially complete a three-minute plank was an 82-year-old Scandinavian woman. With Marie’s 90th birthday just around the corner, our family quietly began wondering whether she might have what it takes to break that record.
Back to Marie’s birthday celebration – towards the end of her party, she was invited to participate in a friendly “grandkids versus grandma” plank challenge. What Marie did not know was that independent timekeepers and official witnesses had already been arranged behind the scenes because this was, in fact, an official world record attempt.
The challenge began.
One by one, the grandkids dropped out — but Marie kept going.
When she finally stopped, the timer read 3 minutes and 15 seconds.
The room erupted in cheers as we told her she had just exceeded the existing world record. I later asked Marie if she could have continued longer, and with a smile she replied, “Yes… I only stopped because all the grandkids had quit.”
Following the event, we contacted Denver Channel 7 News, and reporter Colin Riley visited Marie at her local gym to interview her. He did a wonderful job capturing both her spirit and the deeper message behind the story. The newscast and video can be viewed here: The Planking Grandma.
Guinness World Records issued its official confirmation on July 27, 2026.
Ben and I wanted to share this story because we believe it is such a meaningful example of what can happen when we continue to stay engaged in life — physically, mentally, socially, and emotionally — regardless of age.
Marie’s story reminds us that purpose, discipline, friendships, and perseverance can continue to bless our lives for many years to come.
We hope her example brings a smile to your day and perhaps even a little inspiration as well.
Warm regards,
Joel & Ben Andrews
Andrews Wealth