World's oldest man shares thoughts on longevity: There is no such thing as a secret to a long life

John Tinniswood, the 112-year-old man who holds the title of the world's oldest living man, is celebrating his birthday today.

According to a BBC report, John Tinniswood, who was born in Liverpool, England, on August 26, 1912, celebrated his 112th birthday with a photo taken with his Guinness World Records certificate. Speaking to Guinness officials, Tinniswood said he had "no idea why he has lived so long."

Tinniswood noted that there is no "secret to a long life" that everyone would want to hear from him.

A lifelong supporter of the Liverpool football team, John Tinniswood now resides in a care home in Southport.

'THERE IS NOT MUCH YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT'

Following the death of 114-year-old Juan Vicente Perez Mora in April, John Tinniswood earned the title of the world's oldest man. Tinniswood, who says he was quite active when he was young and "did plenty of walking," insists that he is "not much different" from others: "You can live a long or a short life, there is not much you can do about it."

Tinniswood, who was born in the year the Titanic sank, said he does not dwell much on being 112 years old: "I have no idea why I have lived this long. I don't know of any special secret. I don't think I am any different."

Tinniswood was born 20 years after his favorite team, Liverpool, was founded. He has seen all but two of the 66 trophies the club has won to date. He only missed the league titles in 1901 and 1906. Tinniswood, who was two years old when World War I began, had just celebrated his 27th birthday when World War II started.

THE OLDEST SURVIVING WORLD WAR II VETERAN

Having served in the army's pay corps during the war, playing a role behind the front lines, Tinniswood also holds the title of the oldest surviving World War II veteran.

Tinniswood and his wife Blodwen married in 1942, and their daughter Susan was born in 1943. They were married for 44 years until his wife passed away in 1986.

John Tinniswood worked as an accountant at Shell and BP after the war and retired in 1972.

Tinniswood added that he does not have a regular eating routine, other than his traditional fish and chips every Friday, saying: "I eat what everyone else eats, I don't have a special diet."

THE RECORD IS HELD BY TOMIKO FROM JAPAN

John, who has received a special birthday card from the Royal Family since he turned 100 in 2012, now receives this card from King Charles III following the death of Queen Elizabeth II in 2022. When asked to comment on how the world has changed since his childhood, John says:

"I don't think it's better, or while it may be better in some respects, it is worse in others."

The oldest man ever recorded was Jiroemon Kimura from Japan, who died in 2013 at the age of 116.

The title of the world's oldest living woman and the oldest living person overall belongs to 116-year-old Tomiko Itooka, also from Japan.

News Source: 12punto