98-year-old woman meets great-great-great-grandkid for the 1st time — as 6 generations come together

After Gracie Snow Howell shared a picture of her grandmother holding her first great-great-great-grandchild online, it quickly became popular. Between the offspring of her own daughters and the offspring of their children, MaeDell Taylor Hawkins now has more than 620 grandkids. This 98-year-old matriarch of a large Kentucky family got to meet her first great-great-great-grandchild this year. Zhavia Whitaker, who was born to Jaisline Wilson in December, was first held by MaeDell in February. The special family photo featured all six generations of their family, according to PEOPLE.

Francis Snow, MaeDell Hawkins' daughter; Gracie, her granddaughter; Jacqueline Ledford, her great-granddaughter; and Jaisline Wilson, her great-great-granddaughter, all years apart, accompanied the pair in the photograph.

Sheryl Blessing, MaeDell Hawkins' granddaughter who is not included in the famous shot, is the sister of Gracie Snow Howell, the photographer of the family portrait. The family members are seen in the picture, along with MaeDell Hawkins, who is holding her great-great-great-granddaughter Zhavia.

According to Gracie Howell, 58, her 98-year-old grandmother has cradled "hundreds of babies" throughout the years. While there, "Zhavia got a little fussy," and MaeDell, who now resides in a nursing facility and remains in bed, "swooped her right out of Mama's arms."

"We thought this was special because it's all girls. We have a picture of her actually tickling her little feet. Sweet moments,” Gracie told the outlet.

According to the publication, MaeDell, who will turn 99 in July, married a 50-year-old railway worker with 10 children from a previous relationship in 1940 when she was just 16 years old. Her husband Bill Taylor frequently traveled for work. According to Gracie, the two still had 13 children together, and they were all without the majority of contemporary amenities. The household did not have running water or even a washing machine and dryer.

"She had no modern conveniences, no washer dryer, no dishwasher, no running water. I mean, I can remember I was a teenager and she still didn't have running water. I know she had it hard, but she didn't complain," said Gracie. "She just went about her day," she continued. She claims that her mother, however, did not remember ever going without a decent meal or dinner or lacking in clean clothing. "She's had a full life. I just love her," she added as she shared how much she looks up to MaeDell.

In a Facebook post the News personality Ed Piotrowski WPDE shared that according to Guinness World Records, the most generations alive in a single family has been seven. And this family has six generations of it alive altogether. The post caption reads, “Recently, these lovely ladies got together for a family portrait, but this wasn't your average photo shoot. Gracie Howell of Myrtle Beach was in Kentucky and sent me this incredible photo of six generations! These ladies range in age from 7 weeks to 98 years old. It's extremely rare to have 6 living generations."