World’s Oldest Man, Juan Vicente Pérez, Dies at 114

Juan Vicente Pérez was a man from Venezuela who lived a very, very long life. He was born on May 27, 1909, in a town called El Cobre. This means he was alive for 114 years. Now that Pérez has passed away, the title of “world’s oldest man” is expected to go to a 112-year-old man from Japan named Gisaburo Sonobe. But this needs to be confirmed by Sonobe’s family first.

Officially the Oldest Man in the World

In February 2022, when Pérez was 112 years and 253 days old, the Guinness World Records officially said he was the oldest man in the whole world. This made him famous for living such a long life.

A Big Family

Pérez had a huge family. He had 11 children, which is a lot! His children were 6 sons and 5 daughters. By 2022, he also had 41 grandchildren, 18 great-grandchildren, and 12 great-great-grandchildren! That’s a lot of family members. Pérez was married to a woman named Ediofina del Rosario García for 60 years until she passed away in 1997.

Lived Through Major Events

In his very long life, Pérez lived through some major historical events. He was alive during World War I and World War II. He also lived through the Spanish Flu pandemic and the COVID-19 pandemic, which he caught but survived in 2020 when he was 111 years old. Pérez also saw some amazing inventions and achievements happen, like the television being invented and a man walking on the moon.

Worked as a Farmer and Sheriff

Pérez’s main job was being a farmer. But he also worked as a sheriff, which is a type of police officer. As a sheriff, he helped solve arguments about land and families in his community. In 2019, when Pérez turned 110 years old, he celebrated a big birthday. He was the first man from Venezuela to live to be 110 or older, which is called a “supercentenarian.”

Checking for Accurate Ages

To make sure the ages of very old people are correct, the Guinness World Records works with experts like the Gerontology Research Group and a man named Robert Young. They carefully check information about people who claim to be extremely old.

Juan Vicente Pérez lived a truly remarkable life by living to be 114 years old. He saw and experienced so many things in his very long lifetime. His family and the world will miss him, but his amazing story of longevity will be remembered.