One of the world’s oldest men has reportedly died at the age of 119 after revealing the “secrets” he believed helped him live such a long life.
Levino da Costa Jesus passed away at the care home where he had lived for the past 19 years on Sunday (19 July).
He was believed to have been Brazil’s oldest man, although the title had not been officially recognised by international record-keeping organisations because of a lack of old documents and photographs from his youth.
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According to the Cidade Ozanan care home in Pará de Minas, Levino remained remarkably independent.
Even at 119, he was still able to feed himself, chat easily and was rarely seen without a smile on his face, as reported by Need To Know.
One of four siblings, Levino was born in the rural community of Ascensão on 6 May 1907 and spent his working life as a rural labourer.
He arrived at Cidade Ozanan aged 100 with his brother, who died shortly afterwards, after the neighbour who helped care for them was no longer able to continue looking after them.
Despite his advanced age, he loved taking part in the home’s activities, with dancing and music holding a special place in his heart.
Psychologist Caroline Moreira, who works at the institution, told local media: “He loved to dance.
“Even after he began using a wheelchair, he continued joining the music groups with help from the carers and physiotherapist.
“He was a very cheerful, calm and affectionate man.
“He loved talking about his life story, sharing memories from when he lived in the countryside and telling tales of his fishing trips.”
Levino believed his “secret” to reaching 119 was a life built on faith, friendship and harmony – while avoiding arguments.
His life motto was: “Never fight, but instead preserve good friendships.”
For Levino, living well meant following the teachings of God and Our Lady, staying faithful and living peacefully with others.
He did not credit his longevity to any miracle diet.
Caroline said: “Every year we celebrated his birthday. He loved it and was always so happy with his little parties.
“Another thing that really stood out about him was how much he loved coffee and cake. Now, whenever we have coffee, we’ll think of him.”
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