Juan Vicente Pérez facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Juan Vicente Pérez
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Pérez on his 113th birthday in May 2022
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| Born |
Juan Vicente Pérez Mora
27 May 1909 |
| Died | (aged 114 years, 311 days) San Jose de Bolívar, Táchira, Venezuela
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| Nationality | Venezuelan |
| Occupation | Farmer, sheriff, construction worker |
| Known for |
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| Spouse(s) |
Ediofina del Rosario García
(m. 1938; died 1997) |
| Children | 11 |
Juan Vicente Pérez Mora (born May 27, 1909 – died April 2, 2024) was a man from Venezuela who lived for a very long time. He was known as a supercentenarian, which means someone who lives to be 110 years or older. Until he passed away, he was the world's oldest verified living man. He earned this title after Saturnino de la Fuente García from Spain died in January 2022.
Juan Vicente Pérez Mora lived to be 114 years and 311 days old. He was the last man known to have been born in the first ten years of the 1900s. He is also the fourth-oldest verified man ever in history. Only Jiroemon Kimura, Christian Mortensen, and Emiliano Mercado del Toro lived longer than him.
When he died, he was the second-oldest person living in Latin America. He was also the fourth-oldest verified person in the entire world.
Contents
His Life Story
Growing Up
Juan Vicente Pérez was born on May 27, 1909, in a place called El Cobre, Venezuela. He was the ninth child in his family. When he was young, his family moved to Los Paujiles. This was in San José de Bolívar, Táchira. They moved there to work on farms. Juan Vicente mostly helped harvest sugar cane and coffee.
He learned to read from a book given to him by his teacher. This happened soon after he started school. In 1938, he married Ediofina del Rosario García. She lived from 1916 to 1997. They had a big family with six sons and five daughters. Their first child was born in Los Paujiles.
His Work and Family Life
When Juan Vicente was 31, he and his wife moved to a town called Caricuena. They bought a farm there, and he worked with his brother. All their other children were born while they lived there.
In 1948, he became a sheriff in Caricuena. His main job was to help people solve problems. These problems were often about land or family disagreements. In the late 1950s, Juan Vicente also worked on building a highway. This highway connected San José de Bolívar and Queniquea. He used simple tools like a pick and shovel because there were no machines. He earned two bolívars each day. If he didn't finish his work, he wouldn't get paid until the next day.
Later, in the 1960s, he sold his farm in Caricuena. He bought land in San José de Bolívar, where he lived for the rest of his life. Juan Vicente was a very religious man and a lifelong Catholic.
His Later Years
Juan Vicente's wife passed away in 1997. They had been married for almost 60 years. After her death, his daughter, Edilia del Carmen, mostly took care of his home and family. She passed away in 2006.
When he was 109 years old, there was a problem with his pension, which is money he should receive regularly. But this problem was quickly fixed. On his 111th birthday in May 2020, six of his children were still alive. He had many family members: 41 grandchildren, 18 great-grandchildren, and 12 great-great-grandchildren.
His Passing
Juan Vicente Pérez died at his home in San José de Bolívar, Táchira. This was on April 2, 2024. He was 114 years and 311 days old. He passed away just 55 days before his 115th birthday.
The President of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, shared a message about him on X (Twitter). The mayor of San José de Bolívar also announced three days of mourning. This meant flags were lowered to half-mast to show sadness. After Juan Vicente's death, an Englishman named John Tinniswood (born August 26, 1912) became the world's oldest man.
Health and Long Life
His Health and Food Choices
In 2007, when Juan Vicente was 98, he started using a wheelchair. He also had his false teeth removed. Even so, he could still walk a bit when he was over 100 years old.
When he was declared the oldest living man in May 2022, he was in good health. He was also very clear-minded and could remember many things from his childhood. His family said he loved eating cake, a soup called mondongo, a traditional dish called hallaca, and avocadoes. He could get in and out of bed with the help of a bar next to it. He could speak and hear well, but people sometimes had to talk loudly or close to him. He believed his long life was due to working hard, praying the rosary twice a day, and drinking a small glass of a drink called aguardiente every day.
How He Became the Oldest Man
Juan Vicente Pérez was first reported as the oldest living person in Venezuela in May 2020. He became the oldest known Venezuelan ever on July 18, 2020. He passed the age of Carmen Pacheco de Carrasco, who lived to be 111 years and 51 days. His age was officially confirmed by a group called Latin American Supercentenarians in January 2021.
On January 18, 2022, a 112-year-old man from Spain, Saturnino de la Fuente García, passed away. This meant Juan Vicente Pérez became the world's oldest man. Guinness World Records confirmed this on February 4, and announced it on May 17. His 113th birthday on May 27, 2022, was a big celebration with his family and many people from his community. A few days later, he became the last known man born in the 1900s decade. This happened after an Italian-Brazilian man named Delio Venturotti passed away.
In May 2023, Juan Vicente turned 114. He became only the seventh verified man in history to reach this age. The last man to do so was Jiroemon Kimura twelve years earlier. This birthday was also a big celebration with many religious events. Researchers, local news, and town representatives visited him.
See also
In Spanish: Juan Vicente Pérez para niños
- List of the oldest people by country
- List of the verified oldest people
