New world’s oldest one that nonetheless smokes roll-ups discovered after 55 years in care residence

Brazilian officials claim to have verified the age of 118-year-old Luiz Carlos dos Santos who does not speak but has several unique habits, including making patterns from stones and smoking

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A seemingly unassuming man living in a Brazilian care home has been claimed to be the new world’s oldest person. Brazilian officials reportedly confirmed he was a remarkable 118-years-old after verifying his birth certificate.

Luiz Carlos dos Santos, who was born on February 15, 1908, was already four when the Titanic sunk, was old enough to buy a pint when Alexander Fleming discovered Penicillin, and had reached the ripe old age of 32 by the time compatriot Pele was born.

The announcement of Luiz’ extraordinary age was met with a degree of scepticism when the claim was first made, but Brazilian record keepers Rank Brazil have now claimed to have verified them, after cross referencing his birth certificate with work permits and medical records.

Even outside of his extraordinary longevity, Luiz is a pretty remarkable guy.

The supercentenarian has lived in the same care-home for over half a century, where he was taken by a priest in 1971, but is still fit enough to walk around, eats regular meals and even rolls his own cigarettes.

Staff describe him as ‘calm, reserved and serene’, and perfectly able to understand what is going on around him.

Luiz is entirely mute, despite no medical records hinting of any physical trauma or illness, but does engage in conversation by nodding and shaking his head.

According records apparently verified by Rank Brazil, Luiz was born in the small town of Eloi Mendes, in the south of the country, where he still lives now.

He apparently worked as a farmer, with records describing him as ‘dedicating himself to the simple life of the countryside’. He never married, and has no children.

Incredibly, Luiz does not even take regular medication outside of vitamins given as protocol by his carers, and suffers from no long-term ailments, although does have “some minor cognitive impairments’.

He is apparently unfussy when it comes to food, and able to eat without any help, although doesn’t need particularly big portions.

His daily routine follows an organized schedule. He eats breakfast at 7am, before having the first of three daily coffees two hours later, he then takes lunch at 11, has another coffee at 2, dinner at 5, and then his final coffee at 7:30.

Luiz apparently enjoys collecting pebbles, and arranging them in rows, as well as picking things up from the floor that he finds.

In an interview on local Brazilian TV, one of Luiz’s care-givers admitted that even during the Covid-19 pandemic Luiz remained entirely healthy, and ‘prefers to help everyone else’ rather than receive any.

Curiously, the same care home staff member also revealed that the 118-year-old never sleeps lying down.

It is not confirmed if Guinness World Records have begun their process of identification, although the Daily Star has approached them for comment on the claim.

Guinness World Records currently still list British 118-year-old Ethel Caterham as the world’s oldest person.

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