Juan Vicente Pérez, from Venezuela, has been officially confirmed as the oldest person living (male) at 112 years and 253 days, as of 4 February 2022.
Today he is 112 years 11 months and 21 days old, with his 113th birthday fast approaching.
Born in El Cobre, Táchira, Venezuela on 27 May 1909, Juan was the ninth child of ten to Eutiquio del Rosario Pérez Mora and Edelmira Mora.
In 1914, his family moved to Los Pajuiles, a village in San José de Bolivar. At the age of five years old, he started working with his dad and brothers in agriculture and assisted with sugar cane and coffee harvesting.
He created a trapiche (a wooden mill) with his brother, Miguel, to help with the production of the coffee and sugar cane and, later, was able to buy a bigger machine to increase the productivity of the farm.
At 10 years old, he started at the local school, but only for five months, as his teacher became ill. Fortunately, Juan learned the basics of reading and writing thanks to a book given to him by the teacher.
He went on to become a sheriff in Caricuena in 1948 and was responsible for resolving land and family disputes for ten years, while still working in agriculture.
Besides agriculture, one of Juan's most important passions is to build a strong relationship with God and his family. He is grateful for his life, as well as the food and the people that surround him.
Juan Vicente married Ediofina del Rosario García and they were together for 60 years until she passed away in 1997. The couple formed a beautiful family of eleven children - six sons and five daughters - which has grown over the years to include 41 grandchildren, 18 great-grandchildren, and 12 great-great-grandchildren.
After long, hard days of work, Juan Vicente would spend his free time with his family. His son Edesio would play the tunes of Antonio Aguilar, Hermanas Calles and Negro Picante on the Vitrola.
Throughout his life, Juan Vicente witnessed many remarkable inventions such as television and the internet. When he was 51 years old, he had his ID photograph taken for the first time in black and white.
Juan Vicente has exceptional health and memory. He 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 100th birthday celebration was very significant for him, as he was able to enjoy the company of all his sons and many great-grandchildren. His granddaughter, Karla Marisol, and her husband gave him a beautiful painting that he keeps in the central patio of his home.
In 2019, he celebrated his 110th birthday, becoming the first male supercentenarian from Venezuela.
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."
As a man of faith, with God as a priority in his life, Juan Vicente prays at least twice a day as part of his daily routine.
"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."
"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." - Fredy Abreu, Juan's nephew
He wants to be remembered as a hard-working man, faithful to his wife and his religion.
Juan Vicente is just 10 days away from his 113th birthday. He will be celebrating this remarkable achievment in the company of his family and close friends.
He received the record title after Mr. Saturnino de la Fuente Garcia (Spain, b. 11 February 1909) passed away on 18 January 2022 at 112 years and 341 days.
The oldest person living (female) was Kane Tanaka (Japan, b. 2 January 1903) who recently passed away on 19 April 2022 at the age of 119.
The new oldest person living (female) and the overall oldest person living is Sister André (France, b. 11 February 1904 as Lucile Randon) who is now officially the oldest person alive at 118 years 73 days old.
The oldest person ever (male) was Jiroemon Kimura (Japan, b. April 19, 1897) and he passed away aged 116 years 54 days on June 12, 2013.
How do we validate the oldest people?
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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