Kawakawa's Isabelle 'Isey' Cross boasts the rare honour of not only receiving a congratulatory birthday message from Queen Elizabeth II, but also one from King Charles III.
Isey celebrated her 105th birthday earlier this month. Her whanau reckons she's the oldest Māori in the country.
However, that doesn't stop the bourbon-drinking, game-fishing petrolhead from living life at full throttle.
Isey's youngest son, James Cross, is not only her full-time carer, but also the chief birthday party planner. Every year since her 90th birthday, he's made sure the celebrations have been extravaganzas.
"My mum is my leading lady always, and she comes number one," he told The Hui.
Two hundred guests helped celebrate the great-grandmother's 105th birthday at the Waitangi Golf Club in the Bay of Islands earlier this month.
Isey's eldest child and only daughter Lorraine Walters is grateful her whanau are able to do this for their much-loved mum.
"To have her still here with us at this age is unbelievable, and I really credit James. Having him in her life and him caring for her all these years [is] just amazing."
James was once a singer with ambitions of making it big in Hollywood. However, he came home to Kawakawa from Los Angeles in 1990 after hearing his father, Charles, had cancer.
When his dad died, James didn't want to leave his mum on her own.
"It's been years of caregiving, 24/7 without a break, but I wouldn't be anywhere else."
The close relationship between mother and son was the subject of the heart-warming 2021 documentary James and Isey.
The pair aren't ruling out a sequel to the film.
Watch the full video above for more.
