World’s Oldest Man, 113, Shares the Unexpected Secret Behind His Long Life

He has outlived empires, pandemics, and presidents. He watched the world move from radio to television, from landlines to smartphones, from handwritten letters to artificial intelligence — and he kept going. Now, at 113, the world’s oldest living man has finally revealed what he believes kept him alive this long. No biohacking. No miracle drug. Just one quiet, stubborn choice.

João Marinho Neto’s life has stretched across a century of upheaval, yet his explanation for survival sounds almost disarmingly gentle. Born in Brazil, he never chased youth through laboratories or clinics. While others poured fortunes into anti-aging fads and endless optimization, he stayed rooted in something far less glamorous: family dinners, familiar faces, and what he simply calls “good people.” In a culture obsessed with upgrading the body, his secret feels almost defiant — choose the right hearts to grow old beside.

His record, now recognized globally, forces an uncomfortable question. If the longest-living among us keep pointing to love, belonging, and simple joy, why do we keep searching for answers in needles, supplements, and machines? Science can measure telomeres and calorie intake, but it struggles to quantify laughter, loyalty, or the quiet comfort of being known for decades by the same people.

Neto may never prove his theory in a clinical trial, but his life stands as living testimony. Perhaps longevity is less about extending years and more about making them worth staying for. And perhaps the real longevity hack isn’t found in what we do to our bodies — but in who we refuse to let go of as the years keep coming.