In a small corner of Ceará, Brazil, lives a man who has watched time pass like no one else on the planet. João Marinho Neto, born on October 5, 1912, was recently certified by Guinness World Records as the world’s oldest living man, following the death of Briton John Tinniswood.
World Guiness Record
What has most impacted the medical community is not just his age, but his physical condition. According to reports from his caregivers, at 113, João does not suffer from comorbidities common such as hypertension or diabetes, and he has never suffered from cancer or strokes. His body seems to have found a perfect balance that keeps him lucid and present.
Joao Family
Although many would expect a magic diet, João attributes his longevity to something much more human: “Staying surrounded by good people and his loved ones”.
Coming from a family of farmers, he began working in the countryside at age 4, tending cattle and harvesting fruit, a life of constant physical effort that, according to him, forged his endurance.
João not only holds a record, but is also the pillar of a massive family. He married twice and had 7 children, who have given him 22 grandchildren, 25 great-grandchildren, and 3 great-great-grandchildren.
Longevi Quest
Despite having been born in a world without the internet or common commercial airplanes, today he is a global celebrity who even sends congratulations to other long-lived people through his family’s social media.