LongeviQuest is delighted to announce our recent validation of João Marinho Neto, a resident of Apuiarés, Ceará, Brazil. At 112 years and 30 days old, he is currently the world’s second-oldest living man.
João Marinho Neto was born in Maranguape, Ceará, Brazil on 5 October 1912, into a family of farmers. During his childhood, his parents moved the family to a rural area of Apuiarés. From the age of about four, João was already enjoying helping his father and his employee in the fields. Along with taking care of the cattle, they would harvest fruit from Juazeiro trees, by creating a makeshift hook from the branches to protect the fruit.
On 12 October 2024. (Source: Courtesy of the family)
João married Josefa Albano dos Santos (1920–1994), with whom he had four children: Antônio, José, Fátima, and Vanda (deceased). His wife had inherited property at Fazenda Massapê, where João cultivated the land with corn and beans. He also raised cattle, goats, pigs, and chickens. Later in his life, João had three more children—Vinícius, Jarbas, and Conceição—with Antonia Rodrigues Moura. Through hard work, João built a financially stable life, accruing assets such as land and houses.
On 2 April 2024, following the passing of 114-year-old Juan Vicente Pérez Mora of Venezuela, he became the oldest (known) living man in Latin America, at the age of 111 years, 180 days. At the moment, he is the oldest living man in the Americas, and the second-oldest man in the world, only after John Tinniswood.
This validation was made possible thanks to the dedicated efforts of Gabriel Ainsworth and Iara Souza, with invaluable assistance from João Marinho Neto’s family in verifying his age.
