Portuguese 
Spanish 
5 min of reading 
0 comments 
At 113 years old, João Marinho Neto remains one of the most impressive names in longevity records. Born in Ceará in 1912, the Brazilian farmer became a global symbol of resilience, simplicity, and family life after official recognition by Guinness.
Born in Maranguape, Ceará, João Marinho Neto remains the oldest living man on the planet. At 113 years and 255 days on June 17, 2026, the farmer from Ceará once again gained international attention for a life marked by work in the fields, a large family, and a simple routine in the countryside.
João Marinho Neto was confirmed by Guinness World Records as the oldest living man in the world. The updated official record states that he was born on October 5, 1912, and his age was verified by LongeviQuest in Apuiarés, Ceará, on April 1, 2026, when he was 113 years and 178 days old.
The milestone places the Brazilian in a very rare position. Besides being the oldest living man on the planet, João was already recognized as the oldest man in Brazil and Latin America. The journey draws attention not only for the impressive age but for the contrast between the grandeur of the record and the simplicity of the life he built away from the spotlight.
-
Science still cannot explain how an autistic person flies over a city for a few minutes and then draws every window from memory, without making a single mistake on any street.
-
A man spent less than the cost of a coxinha and a juice at the supermarket, requested a CPF on the receipt out of habit, and woke up months later to news that most people wait a lifetime for: R$ 50,000 deposited into his account without needing to do anything else.
-
Brazilian couple visits all 196 UN-recognized countries before the age of 32 and enters RankBrasil
-
Brazilian who left Recife says he visited every country in the world in 543 days and sets off for a new trip around the planet
From the interior of Ceará to a world record
João’s story began in the rural area of Ceará. Born in Maranguape, he moved with his parents as a child to a rural area of Apuiarés. The son of farmers, he started helping with the hard work in the fields at an early age.
According to the record released by Guinness, at four years old he was already accompanying his father in the work. Childhood tasks included taking care of cattle and picking juazeiro fruits, common activities in the rural routine of the region.
As the years passed, João followed the same path as his family. He became a farmer, cultivated corn and beans, and also raised animals such as cattle, goats, pigs, and chickens. Life on the land was not just a job, but a central part of the identity of the man from Ceará who is now observed by the whole world.
Large family and life built away from the spotlight
João Marinho Neto married Josefa Albano dos Santos, who lived between 1920 and 1994. With her, he had four children: Antônio, José, Fátima, and Vanda. Later, he had three more children with Antonia Rodrigues Moura: Vinícius, Jarbas, and Conceição.
The family has grown over the decades. The Brazilian gathers children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren, forming a large lineage that helps explain one of the most repeated points when talking about his longevity: the importance of being surrounded by close people.
João himself attributes part of his long life to being around good people and the presence of family members. The phrase is simple, but it gained strength precisely because it matches his public image: a man of the countryside, discreet, connected to family and a routine without great luxuries.
The secret, according to him, is in the people around
When asked what he considers important to live so long, João replied that the secret is being surrounded by good people and keeping family members close. The response became one of the most remarkable parts of the story.
In times when longevity is often associated with diets, treatments, supplements, and technologies, the case of the man from Ceará draws attention for another reason. His explanation points to human connections, routine, and family coexistence.
João’s life, however, also had difficulties. He went through periods of severe drought in Ceará and faced the challenges of someone who lived off rural work for decades. Even so, he managed to build stability over his life, accumulating assets such as land and houses.
Important update on longevity records
The recognition of João as the world’s oldest living man was originally announced in 2024, after the death of the British John Tinniswood. At the time, he was 112 years and 52 days old. Now, with the official update available in 2026, the Brazilian appears in the Guinness with 113 years and 178 days on the date of verification made on April 1, 2026.
On June 17, 2026, considering the birth date of October 5, 1912, João Marinho Neto reaches 113 years and 255 days.
Another piece of information that needed to be updated is the overall longevity ranking. In 2024, the oldest living person in the world was Tomiko Itooka from Japan. Currently, the title belongs to Ethel Caterham from the United Kingdom, born on August 21, 1909. She was verified by Guinness and LongeviQuest on April 1, 2026, at 116 years and 223 days.
It is also important to separate the titles. João Marinho Neto is the oldest living man in the world. In the overall ranking of Brazil, considering both men and women, the oldest living person validated by LongeviQuest is Yolanda Beltrão de Azevedo, from Alagoas, born on January 13, 1911.
A Brazilian among the rarest names in history
The story of João Marinho Neto brings Brazil back into the spotlight in a type of record closely followed in several countries. Surpassing 110 years is already extremely rare. Passing 113 and still remaining the oldest living man on the planet makes the case even more impressive.
The man from Ceará has lived through more than a century of profound changes in Brazil and the world. He witnessed political transformations, technological advances, changes in the countryside, new generations emerging, and part of his own family multiplying over the decades.
Even so, the image that remains is of a man connected to his roots. João was not known for a public career, wealth, or fame built on social media. He gained global prominence for having lived long, resisted much, and maintained a story deeply connected to the interior of Ceará.
Now, at 113 years old, João Marinho Neto continues as a symbol of longevity, resilience, and simplicity. His journey shows that some of the world’s strongest stories can be born far from the big centers, in a life built with work, family, and presence.
If this story impressed you, share it and tell us which detail of the man’s journey from Ceará caught your attention the most.
Be the first to react!