Featured Image Credit: GWR
Topics: Life, World News
Anish Vij
That age old saying 'life is short' is just not true at all for some.
With the average life expectancy being as high as 85 in places like Hong Kong and Japan, it's about what you do with your time that really matters.
When it comes to the world's oldest man, he drinks a glass of 'hooch' every day and his 113th birthday was no different.
Juan Vicente Pérez, from Venezuela was born in El Cobre, Táchira, Venezuela on 27 May 1909.
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He received the record title from Guinness World Records after a man named Mr. Saturnino de la Fuente Garcia passed away on 18 January 2022 at 112 years and 341 days.
Pérez happens to come from a family of farmers and is one of 10 siblings.
As of 2022, he, most remarkably, has 41 grandchildren, 18 great-grandchildren and 12 great-great-grandchildren, according to Guinness World Records.
The 113-year-old apparently has exceptional memory and while some of us forgot what we had for lunch yesterday, Pérez still remembers his childhood, marriage, the name of his siblings, children and grandchildren.
He loves to be surrounded by family and friends as they tell stories and engage in good conversation.
His secret for a long life is to 'work hard, rest on holidays, go to bed early, drink a glass of aguardiente every day, love God, and always carry him in your heart'.
"My dad is in very good health. He does not suffer from any disease that requires medical treatment," shared daughter Nelyda Perez.
"The next day after resting, he says he wakes up very well.
"The whole family is very grateful for my daddy's health."
Juan's nephew, Fredy Abreu, said: "My uncle Vicente transmits a lot of peace, tranquility and radiates a lot of joy.
"He is a person who has a lot to give. He enjoys the basics of life and is very grateful to God. His family is his support."
Pérez says the greatest thing he has learned in life is 'the love of God, the love of family, and that we must get up early to work' - Inspiring stuff.
In case you're wondering just how Guinness World Records validate the oldest living people, they said: "The evidence for the oldest person living (male) was examined by Guinness World Records' Senior Consultant for Gerontology, Robert D Young (USA).
Young has been the Director of the Supercentenarian Research Database Division for the Gerontology Research Group since 2015."
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