On 25 November 2024, João Marinho Neto, a resident of Apuiarés in the Brazilian state of Ceará, became the world’s oldest living man. He succeeded John Tinniswood of the United Kingdom, who was a month and a half older. In recognition of his status, we presented him with a commemorative LongeviQuest plaque.
The commemorative plaque was received by his son, Vinícius, who then presented it to his father. The plaque, originally created earlier in November, recognized him solely as the oldest living man in Brazil at the time. Since then, he has also become the world’s oldest living man. On 28 November, Guinness World Records also officially recognized his title.
João Marinho Neto was born in Maranguape, Ceará, 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. He 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.
LongeviQuest would like to express our sincere gratitude to his family, especially his son Vinícius and his caregiver Aleluia, for accepting the plaque on his behalf, presenting it to him in our name, and sharing photos and videos of the event. We also extend our thanks to our researchers, Iara Souza and Gabriel Ainsworth, for organizing the event and preparing the plaque.
