BIOGRAPHY

Silverio Pereira Ayala was born in Ybycui, Paraguari, Paraguay on 11 June 1906. He served in the military during the Chaco War of 1932 to 1935, where he would meet commander-in-chief José Félix Estigarribia, who later served as 34th President of Paraguay. He witnessed the deaths of many of his friends on the battlefield, and was provided with so little food by the military that he needed to hunt to survive. He never married or had children, and later dedicated himself to caring for his mother for several years, as she had reached a very advanced age herself; according to family members, she was 112 at the time of her death.

From the age of around 100, he was cared for by his niece, and lived with his brother and sister, who were aged 105 and 100 in 2018. By the time of his 111th birthday in 2017, he was mostly deaf and spoke very little, but still retained the ability to share stories with family members and other visitors.

He passed away in Natalio, Itapua Department, Paraguay on 30 May 2018, at the age of 111 years, 353 days.

RECOGNITION

He was the first known Paraguayan supercentenarian, and remains the oldest person ever from the country (excluding 115 year old Argentinian emigrant Casilda Ramona Benegas).

ATTRIBUTION

* “110 años de un testigo de la Paz del Chaco” – Cronica, 11 June 2017
* “Reliquia viviente: Excombatiente del Chaco cumplió 110 años” – ADN Digital, 12 June 2017

GALLERY