Daniel Guzmán García was born in Villahermosa, Tolima, Colombia on 6 February 1897, and grew up near the snow-covered mountains of Nevado del Ruiz. On 27 April 1931, at age of 34, he married Julia Rosa Marin; the couple would go on to have 12 children together, and would remain married for over 62 years until Julia Rosa’s death in 1994.
After studying to become a priest, he worked as a lawyer, judge, and councilman throughout his career, with him later being elected mayor of his town. He was also a bullfighter and billiard player in his younger years.
As a supercentenarian, he suffered from no major diseases, and was capable of walking without the aid of a walker. When asked for the secret to his longevity, he stated, “I walked a lot, and I never said bad things about people.”
On the morning of 11 May 2008, he unexpectedly fainted after rising to eat his breakfast. His family took him to a nearby hospital, where it was discovered that he had suffered a cerebral aneurism, leading to a massive stroke. Placed under intensive care, his condition improved somewhat over the following few days, but he would ultimately pass away ten days later, aged 111 years, 105 days. He was survived by nine children, 19 grandchildren, and 20 great-grandchildren.
His age was verified by Robert Young and Miguel Quesada, and was validated by the Gerontology Research Group on 22 March 2008, making him the first supercentenarian from Colombia to be validated.
His record as the oldest man to ever live in Colombia would stand for over 13 years, before being surpassed by Eusebio Quintero López in 2021, then by Efraín Antonio Ríos García the following month.