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Peru Man Dies at 125, Potentially World's Oldest
4 Apr
Summary
- Marcelino Abad Tolentino died at 125, possibly the world's oldest.
- Lack of documentation prevented official record recognition.
- Ethel Caterham holds the current record at 116 years old.
Marcelino Abad Tolentino, from a remote village in Peru, passed away in his sleep on Monday, just five days before his 126th birthday. Known as Mashico, the farmer was born in 1900 and was potentially the world's oldest person, though never officially recognized by Guinness World Records due to insufficient documentation.
The current official record holder is Ethel Caterham, a British woman who is 116 years old. Tolentino lived a simple life, largely in isolation, without modern amenities. He came to the attention of authorities during the Covid-19 pandemic when he began receiving support from Peru's Pension 65 program.
This program provided him with his first ID card and a state pension, enabling him to move into a care home. Despite efforts by the Peruvian government to register him for the world record, the process could not be completed. His passing marks the end of an era for a man who lived through an extraordinary span of history.
