Guinness World Records is this morning saddened to learn of the passing of Dr. Alexander Imich, who held the world record for the Oldest person living (male). Our condolences are extended to the family and friends of Dr. Imich.

Dr. Imich was awarded the Guinness World Records title of Oldest living man on May 8, 2014 at the age of 111 years and 93 days.

He is reported to have died peacefully on Sunday morning, according to friends who had been taking care of him at a residence in the Upper West Side of New York.

Dr. Imich was born in present-day Częstochowa, Poland, which was then part of the Russian Empire, on February 4th, 1903. In 1951, he and his wife, Wela, immigrated to the United States from the Soviet Union and Imich has lived in Manhattan alone since she passed away in 1986.

Dr. Imich was a parapsychologist and retired chemist.

While his own longevity surprised even himself, he credited his life to good genes and an overall moderate, healthy lifestyle by which he has eaten very leanly his entire life.

His passion and curiosity about parapsychology shaped his motto, which is that one should “always pursue what one loves and is passionate about”

Craig Glenday, editor-in-chief, Guinness World Records, said: “What an incredible life Dr Imich led ­ fighting the Bolsheviks as a teenager, earning a PhD in the 1920s, surviving a Soviet labour camp, losing much of his family to the Nazis and pursuing a successful career as a chemist and parapsychologist."

"To live such an extraordinarily long and rich life is a testament to good genes, a healthy lifestyle and a positive mental attitude. Dr Imich is an inspiration to anyone wishing to make the most out of their limited time on Earth."

Guinness World Records is investigating potential successors for the Oldest living man title and the new holder of the Oldest living man title once the verification process is complete.

Currently 116-year-old female, Misao Okawa of Japan, is recognised by Guinness World Records as the world's Oldest Living Person overall. She was born March 5, 1898 and lives in Osaka.

The greatest fully authenticated age to which any human has ever lived is 122 years, 164 days by Jeanne Louise Calment of France, who died in 1997.