THE world’s oldest man believes he’s the “most handsome” in his Brazilian care home after inheriting the crown from a 112-year-old Brit.
Former pig farmer Joao Marinho Neto, 112, was officially named as the new Guinness World Record title holder last Thursday following the death of Englishman John Alfred Tinniswood.
Joao Marinho Neto, 112, with his son[/caption]
Joao, seen here with his family, allowed TV cameras into his care home over the weekend[/caption]
John Tinniswood held the world record until his death last week at the age of 112[/caption]
John was the world’s oldest man from June 29 this year, and died last week at the age of 112 at his care home in Southport.
The new record holder, who is a father of seven, let TV cameras into his retirement home in Apuiares, northeast Brazil, over the weekend.
He explained how he reached the phenomenal age despite his favourite snack being raw cane sugar.
Joao, who shares his home with 12 other elderly residents told his son Marcos Vinicius Marques in an emotional moment: “I’ve had a happy life, full of good health.
“I’ve had everything.
“There was cattle to make cheese, I had it all.”
Joao was born in the city of Maranguape but grew up in Apiuares, a rural part of the state of Caera of around 13,000 inhabitants.
He fathered seven children with two different partners and has 22 grandchildren, 15 great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren.
Joao can’t see anymore and has hearing difficulties but nurse Diulia Dara Nascimento revealed yesterday he takes no medication.
She said he has never suffered from any major diseases and blindness is the only problem that affects his daily life.
His son told Brazilian TV programme Fantastico as he visited his record-holding dad at Sao Sebastiao Retirement Home: “He lives well, eats well, sleeps well, talks, understands everything and knows everyone.
“He recognises his children by their voices.
“He’s a cheerful, happy man who welcomes everyone, he’s very polite, very nice to everyone, and lives his life normally at the retirement home where he’s very well looked after.
“Our family is happy my father has this title of the world’s oldest man.
“Everyone is winning.”
The retirement home manager Edgar Rodrigues told Fantastico: “What he likes most is coffee in the morning, fruit which is often grapes that he likes the most, unrefined whole cane sugar we call rapadura […] and free-range chicken.”
“One thing he teaches us a lot is that life is worth living. I said to him the other day, ‘Mr Joao, do you know you’ve become the oldest man in the world?’
“He replied: ‘The oldest and most handsome!’
“That’s what captivates us on a daily basis.”
Carer Alleluia Teixeira fought back tears as she said: “He’s a very polite, very grateful, calm and sensible person.
“He even thanks you for a glass of water.
“I’ve never seen a human being as special as him. He doesn’t get stressed about anything.
“He’s always happy.
“For him everything is good.”
Picture shows Joao Marinho Neto, 112, from Ceara, Brazil, has become the world’s oldest man[/caption]
Guinness World Records said on X last Tuesday: “Say hello to the new oldest man in the world, Brazil’s João Marinho Neto, at the age of 112 years and 52 days old.”
It added in a statement: “A Brazilian man has been confirmed as the world’s oldest living man following the death of the UK’s John Tinniswood at age 112.
“Joao Marinho Neto was 112 years 52 days old, as confirmed by LongeviQuest in Apuiares, Ceara, Brazil, on 26 November.
“Born in Maranguape, Ceara, Brazil, on 5 October 1912, he was previously recognized as the oldest living man in Brazil and in Latin America.
“He is also now the last surviving man who was born in 1912.
“Joao was born into a family of farmers and moved with his parents to a rural area of Apuiares.
“He was helping his father out in the fields by the time he was four.
“His jobs around the farm included helping take care of the cattle and harvesting fruit from Juazeiro trees.
“Joao went on to marry Josefa Albano dos Santos (1920–1994), and they welcomed four children together – Antonio, Jose, Fatima, and Vanda.
“He followed in his father’s farming footsteps, cultivating the land his then-wife inherited in Fazenda Massape, to grow corn and beans.
“He also raised cattle, goats, pigs and chickens.”
Joao, who has said the secret to his long life is “being surrounded by good people and keeping his loved ones close by”, later welcomed three more children called Marcos, Jarbas, and Conceicao with partner Antonia Rodrigues Moura.
Six of the seven children he fathered are still alive.
A spokesman for LongeviQuest, the global authority on human longevity, said: “We extend our heartfelt congratulations to him and his family on this remarkable achievement.
“We wish him continued good health and many more years of happiness.
“His story stands as an inspiration to people across the globe.”
Joao became the oldest known living man in Latin America at the age of 111 years, 180 days on April 2 following the passing of 114-year-old Venezuelan Juan Vicente Perez Mora.
Juan’s death led to World War Two veteran John becoming the world’s oldest man for a few months.
He always insisted the secret to his long life was “just luck” and everything in moderation.
John’s family said in a statement: “He [John] was intelligent, decisive, brave, calm in any crisis, talented at maths and a great conversationalist.”
The world’s oldest living woman currently is Japan’s Tomiko Itooka, who is 116.