World's oldest man is 111! What's his secret?

111-year-old John Alfred Tinniswood from England is the world’s oldest living man! 👴

He was born in Liverpool on 26 August 1912... the same year the Titanic sank. 🚢

So, John’s exact age is 111 years 223 days as of 5 April 2024.

John has great-grandkids that he loves and he currently lives at a care home in Southport, where staff describe him as “a big chatterbox”!

Guinness World Records Official Adjudicator Megan Bruce travelled to Southport to present John with his certificate and learn more about the long life of the oldest man alive.

Despite his age, John can still get out of bed without any help, he listens to the radio to keep up with the news, and is independent in many ways.

According to him, the secret to his long life is... “pure luck”!

Beyond eating a portion of battered fish and chips every Friday, John says he doesn’t follow any particular diet: “I eat what they give me and so does everybody else. I don’t have a special diet.”

So maybe think of that next time you don't like your dinner. 🤣

So what's John's advice for staying healthy?

“If you [...] eat too much or you walk too much; if you do too much of anything, you’re going to suffer eventually,” he said.

So basically, everything in moderation!

That's something to keep in mind next time you're craving chocolate. 🤤

John is a Liverpool FC fan and he was born just 20 years after the club was founded in 1892, meaning that he has lived through all 8 of his club’s FA Cup wins and 17 of their 19 league title wins. ⚽

When asked how the world around him has changed throughout his life, John replied: “The world, in its way, is always changing. It’s a sort of ongoing experience. […] It’s going the right way.”

John met his wife, Blodwen, at a dance in Liverpool, they had a daughter and they were married for 44 years! 🤯

John now has 4 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren.

Since turning 100 in 2012, John received a birthday card each year from Queen Elizabeth, who was almost 14 years younger than him. 👑

Having become the UK’s oldest man in 2020, John is not at all shocked by also becoming the oldest in the entire world: “Doesn’t make any difference to me, not at all. I accept it for what it is.”

Well, that is one way to look at it. 😆

And his advice for young people like you?

“Always do the best you can, whether you’re learning something or whether you’re teaching someone. Give it all you’ve got.”

Thanks John, that is great advice. 🙏

🔎 Did you know...

The world’s oldest living woman and oldest living person overall is Spain’s Maria Branyas Morera, who recently celebrated her 117th birthday!