Two of the world’s oldest men surprisingly share the same birth date, and they are exactly one year apart in age. João Marinho Neto from Brazil turned 114 on Monday (October 5th), while Ken Weeks from Australia celebrated his 113th birthday on the same day.
These two elderly gentlemen reside in different countries, with Neto living in Brazil and Weeks in Australia, separated by over 14,000 kilometers. According to LongeviQuest, this year marked the first time they exchanged birthday wishes from afar by taking photos holding greeting cards; Weeks even made a video congratulating Neto on his 114th birthday.
Neto was born on October 5, 1912, in Maranguape, Ceará, Brazil; while Weeks was born on the same day in 1913 in Grafton, New South Wales, Australia, making their birth dates exactly a year apart.
According to Guinness World Records and LongeviQuest, Neto is currently recognized as the oldest living man in the world, with Weeks following as the second oldest. Neto claimed the title after the passing of John Tinniswood from the UK in November 2024.
Expert Ben Meyers from LongeviQuest mentioned that although the oldest living person worldwide, 117-year-old Ethel Caterham from the UK, is female, reaching 114 years as a male is even more rare due to differences in longevity between genders.
Neto was born into a farming family and spent his childhood moving around rural areas with his relatives. LongeviQuest data indicates that he started helping his father with farm work, such as tending to livestock and picking fruits, from the age of around 4.
Most of Weeks’ life was spent in Grafton, where he held various jobs and even ran his own business. He maintained an independent lifestyle in his later years and only moved into a local nursing home close to his 105th birthday.
Though these two men are currently the oldest living men globally, the title of the oldest living person still belongs to a woman. Caterham celebrated her 117th birthday in August this year.