On July 1, Guinness World Records announced that Emilio Flores Marquez is the oldest man alive. Don Milo, as his family knows him, was born on August 8, 1908, in Carolina, Puerto Rico. He was 112 years and 326 days old at the time of the announcement.
Don Milo was born to Alberto Flores Melendez and his wife, Margarita Marquez-Garcia. He was the second of 11 children. His parents brought them up on a sugarcane farm where he helped his father work. He would water, cut and load the sugarcane onto wagons to be transported. He would eventually grow up to be a farmer himself.
He was married for 75 years to Andrea Perez, who died in 2010. They had four children together, two of whom are still alive. He currently resides in Rio Piedras with two of his living children, Milito and Tirsa, who also double as caregivers. He has five grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
About 11 years ago, Don Milo had surgery to implant a pacemaker that left him nearly deaf. Despite his hearing loss, his family says that he is in good health and spirits.
Don Milo’s secret to a long life
Don Milo credits his long life to compassion, a value he says was taught to him by his father. He believes in doing good and sharing with other people. He says that he also tries to avoid resentment and anger.
Previous record holders
Don Milo is only the latest man to hold the record for the oldest man alive. Dumitru Comãnescu previously had the record. Comãnescu, a Romanian citizen, died recently at the age of 111 years.
Jiroemon Kimura was even older than Don Milo and was the oldest man ever to live. Kimura, who was from Japan, was born on April 19, 1897. He died on June 12, 2013, at 116 years. The oldest woman alive also comes from Japan. Kane Tanaka was born on January 2, 1903. She is currently 118 years old and is the oldest person alive today.
The record for the oldest person ever goes to Jeanne Calment, a French woman who lived to be 122 years and 164 days old.
