Saturnino de la Fuente Garcia, a Spanish elderly man who was just recognized as the "world's longest-lived male" by the Guinness Book of World Records last year, died on January 18 at the age of 112 and 341 days. The secret of his longevity was to "live a peaceful life", and when he was young, he was not drafted into the army because of his short stature, and "avoided" going to the battlefield to fight.
112-year-old de la Fuente in Spain
According to family members, De La Fuente died at his home in León, Spain. At about 11 a.m. on the 18th, he began to breathe heavily shortly after using breakfast, "and after a few seconds it went out like a candle." It was only three weeks away from celebrating his 113th birthday.
De La Fuente had eight children with his wife, including seven daughters and one son, three of whom have died. The old man has 14 grandchildren and 22 great-grandchildren under his knees.
De la Fuente with family
Born on 11 February 1909, De la Fuente joined a shoe factory at the age of 13 and later started his own shoe business. Excellent craftsman skills allowed him to make boots for the army and became a famous craftsman in the area.
De La Fuente experienced many hardships, including the 1918 flu. In 1936, the Spanish Civil War broke out. Because he was only 1.5 meters tall, De La Fuente recalled that he was not conscripted into the army at that time, thus avoiding war.
In 1937, he was crushed under the rubble of a bomb-destroyed house, the most dangerous experience of his life.
De La Fuente loves football so much that he founded a community football club in León called Puent Castro. On his 110th birthday, the club paid tribute to the oldest member.
De La Fuente received the Guinness Book of World Records certificate last year
In September 2021, the elderly were recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as "the world's longest-lived male". "Live a peaceful life and don't hurt anyone," De la Fuente replied, referring to his secret to longevity.
De La Fuente lived in the home of a daughter in León and was in relatively good physical and mental condition before his death. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and self-isolation measures, he rarely sees other family members. At the end of 2020, he was vaccinated against COVID-19.
Nandu reporter Shi Minglei