The world’s oldest man, Andrelino Vieira da Silva, a Brazilian pensioner residing in Aparecida de Goiânia, Goiás, has celebrated his alleged 123rd birthday surrounded by his family.
Born on February 3, 1901, according to his ID card, Mr. da Silva claims to be the world’s oldest man, though he has not sought verification from Guinness World Records.
Despite the lack of official recognition, Mr. Vieira da Silva’s family attests to his good health.
“He’s fine, everything’s great.
‘It’s a great satisfaction for him to be with us for another year like this, everyone together,” one of his granddaughter, Janaina Lemes de Souza said.
She also mentioned that people often recognize him in the streets, requesting selfies with the age-defying senior.
While the official record is currently held by Maria Branyas Morera, a 115-year-old Californian, Mr. da Silva’s family remains proud of his remarkable age.
Maria Branyas Morera claimed the title after the passing of French nun Sister André, who lived to be 118.
Janaina Lemes de Souza, Mr. da Silva’s granddaughter, informed the media last year that the family decided not to organize a celebration for his 123rd birthday due to some ongoing family issues.
The family, which owns three houses on the same plot of land, lives in close proximity, supporting each other.
In 2022, the family faced additional challenges as they all recovered from Covid-19, making the birthday celebration more intimate.
Despite this, Mr. da Silva’s resilience shone through, as he marked his ‘121st’ with a cake labelled “The terror of the INSS” .
According to reports, “The terror of the INSS” is a playful reference to his longstanding claim on his old-age pension from the National Institute of Social Security (INSS).
The INSS responded to this joke by sending Mr. da Silva a special plaque.
“You are not the terror of the INSS. You are a blessing to the INSS.”
And they signed it off: ‘We wish Mr Andrelino many more years of life.’
Established in 1978, the INSS is responsible for collecting contributions for Brazil’s social security system.
