A 118-year-old ex-farmer may be the world’s oldest living person
Luís Carlos dos Santos, known to everyone as “Seu Luizinho”, celebrated his 118th birthday on 15 February.
RankBrasil, the “Brazilian Book of Records”, verified his age after analysing historical records, confirming him as the oldest man in Brazil.
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The organisation first learned about him through a social media post and then contacted the care home where he lives in Elói Mendes, Minas Gerais state, requesting documents to prove his date of birth.
Seu Luizinho may even be the oldest living person in the world, as reported by Need To Know.
As of late 2025, the oldest living person verified by Guinness World Records is Ethel Caterham, a Surrey resident who turned 116 on 21 August 2025.
According to Guinness, the oldest living man is João Marinho Neto from Maranguape, Brazil, who turned 113 on 5 October 2025.
Born on 15 February 1908, Seu Luizinho led a simple, rural life, working as a farm labourer in Três Pontas. A reserved man, he never married or had children.
He moved to the São Vicente de Paulo care home in 1971, where he remains to this day as its longest-standing resident. Staff describe him as calm, private, and peaceful.
Although he has lost the ability to speak, Seu Luizinho understands everything and communicates through gestures and head movements.
He eats independently, enjoys a cup of coffee, and moves around the home with surprising agility for his age.
His quirks include picking things up from the floor, taking them into his room, balancing them on the edge of his bed, and sleeping propped upright against the wall behind his bed.
His carer José Edmilson told local media: “He doesn’t like getting help. He prefers helping everyone else.”
Seu Luizinho reportedly takes no regular medication, only daily vitamins, and has never fallen ill during his time at the care home – even throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
Geriatric doctor Érick Soares told local media: “In terms of health, he’s a model. He has a few minor cognitive changes, but they’re barely noticeable given his age.”
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