Oldest Man Turns 115 in Puerto Rico [Oldest vet]

AP via Washington Post ^ | August 22, 2006 | FRANK GAUD

[summer]

Emiliano Mercado Del Toro combs his hair at his home in Isabela, Puerto Rico, Monday, Aug. 21, 2006. Mercado, born on Aug. 21, 1891, and certified the oldest man in the world by the Guinness Book of World Records is also the oldest living veteran. ...

SABELA, Puerto Rico -- The world's oldest person celebrated his 115th birthday Monday, offering advice on healthy living at a party where he was serenaded by a well-known Puerto Rican singer.

..."I never damaged my body with liquor," said Mercado, who quit a 76-year smoking habit when he was 90.

Mercado was declared the world's oldest person by the Guinness Book of Records last year.

"I never thought I would last so long," he said.

..."I feel happy," said the wheelchair-bound Mercado, who has difficulty hearing and has been blind for four years. He lives with a niece in the northwestern coastal town of Isabela.

Mercado was recruited into the U.S. army in 1918, during the last months of World War I. He was still in training when the war ended in November of that year.

...The mayor of Isabela, Charlie Delgado, said a residence for the elderly would be named for Mercado in honor of a man who "ate healthy, had no major vices and who has put this island on the world stage."

Guinness had recognized another Puerto Rican as being the world's oldest person. Ramona Trinidad Iglesias Jordan died May 29, 2004, after a bout with pneumonia. She was 114.

___

NOTE: A version of this story moved Monday night referred to Mercado as the oldest living person. This corrects to say that he's recognized as only the world's oldest man.

[summer]

I'm amazed he quit smoking at age 90! I guess you can change your habits at any age.

[summer]

Also interesting that he did not have any kids, as he must have incredible longevity genes!

[summer]

FYI. :)

[txroadkill]

who quit a 76-year smoking habit when he was 90.

WHY???

[summer]

LOL...I guess he wanted to improve his health! And live longer!

[ElkGroveDan]

His mother is real proud of him

[Timedrifter]

Also interesting that he did not have any kids, as he must have incredible longevity genes!

My grandmother was born in December 1898 and is still with us, making her the third oldest person in the state of Virginia. Those genes do not always get passed on to the kids unfortunately. Two of her daughters did not live to see 70 and her son is still alive at 78 but in declining health. I am just hoping the old saying about longevity skipping a generation is true.

[cll]

Puerto Rico Ping! Please Freepmail me if you want on or off the list.

[reagan_fanatic]

Wow - imagine all the things he's seen come and go in his lifetime. I wonder how many WWI vets are still around?

[KellyAdmirer]

I hope I still have hair when I'm 115. :)

[massgopguy]

"I owe my longevity to having never cared about the date April 15th."

[DuxFan4ever]

Wow - imagine all the things he's seen come and go in his lifetime.

The article says he's been blind the last 4 years and has trouble hear. I imagine quite a bit the first 111 years, not so much the last 4.

[Uncle Vlad]

Actually, he just got married and bought a house near a school. ;)

[cll]

Down here it is said that folks of his generation who survived the maladies of their childhood would live far longer than the average. When the island changed hands from Spain to the U.S. and through the 40's, the island was plagued by poverty, monster hurricanes (if you live in huts), malaria and every other tropical disease.

Thanks God for the USA who turned all that around.

[pageonetoo]

who quit a 76-year smoking habit when he was 90.

WHY???

He probably can't buy them!

Remember when you could get free cigaretts with your "rats"?

[cll]

"I owe my longevity to having never cared about the date April 15th."

Very funny. April 15 is also tax day here.

[Paladin2b]

Wow - imagine all the things he's seen come and go in his lifetime. I wonder how many WWI vets are still around?

A fascinating topic, and liable to many different answers. Depends on whether you want to count men who were in uniform 1914-1918, or those who just saw combat. As the story notes, this fine old veteran didn't make it to the western front in time, and there are no more than 68 remaining ancients from all sides with that story to tell, depending on how honest they are. Combat veterans? Hoo boy--my guess would be less than six or so.

Keep monitoring
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surviving_Veterans_of_the_First_World_War

to keep tabs on the last survivors. No more than a couple years and they will all be gone. I was hoping one or two might make the centennial of the war, but it probably won't happen.

[Ditter]

God Bless this old guy! I have mentioned my great aunt on FR, she lived to be almost 116 and died in about 1996. She was active until the end and had a remarkably clear mind. I don't expect the same, don't even know if I would want it.

[reagan_fanatic]

Amazing - thanks for the link.

Just think - during the roaring 20's, this guy was already pushing 30!

[higgmeister]

Wow - imagine all the things he's seen come and go in his lifetime.

He may have watched Teddy's charge up that hill down there.

[Belasarius]

I went looking for that a little while ago. I think there are only 10 or 12. We're going to wake up one day very soon and they'll all be gone.

There doesn't appear to be anybody in particular keeping track of that. I marvel at how fast the WWII guys are going. My paper is full of obituaries marked with American flags at the top.

My Uncle Willie was a WWI vet. I have one of those wide shot photographs of his entire training company in NJ somewhere on my wall. It is a real cool photo. I just don't know which one he is....

[qam1]

..."I never damaged my body with liquor," said Mercado, who quit a 76-year smoking habit when he was 90.

But, but, but they said smoking would kill us by 45

[cll]

"He may have watched Teddy's charge up that hill down there."

Teddy Roosevelt's famous charge was at San Juan Hill/Heights in Santiago, Cuba, not San Juan, Puerto Rico. By the time the U.S. Army made it to San Juan, Puerto Rico the cease fire was already agreed to.

[summer]

don't even know if I would want it.

Yeah, that brings up an interesting question -- if you could live forever, would you even want to? I felt sad when I read this elderly man is now blind -- yet, he claims to be "happy." God bless him!

[wtc911]

Isabela....home to one of my favorite all time surf spots - Jobos.

[wtc911]

But, but, but they said smoking would kill us by 45

=====================================

Light up skippy, roll those dice.

[albee]

"Mercado, who quit a 76-year smoking habit when he was 90...."

But...but...I thought tobacco kills!

Perhaps it does...but in this case it has taken over 100 years and the guy is still kicking!

[cll]

Oh, yeah! On a high surf day, I washed up near were the two waders in this picture are. It was a bad wipe out. Lost a chunk of an ear while being dragged through the bottom. Fun, fun, fun!

[wtc911]

First time I surfed there was 1969. Now my grandson calls it his favorite beach.

[4Freedom]

Sounds like we should all quit paying federal income taxes, move to a tropical Caribbean island and let the other stupid U.S. Taxpayers support us with $30 billion dollars in cash, tax breaks for corporations in Puerto Rico and federal jobs, every year.

[stands2reason]

WAHHHHHH!!!!!

[4Freedom]

That's about as intelligent a response as we could expect from a Liberal/Socialist defender of Puerto Rico's continued leeching off the U.S. Taxpayers.

Puerto Rico should drop the coqui as its state symbol and replace it with the bloodsucking LEECH.

LOL!

[stands2reason]

I'm not a liberal or a socialist. I just don't think it's the population's fault that PR is a US territory.

[Fiddlstix]

Wow!

[4Freedom]

Which population are you talking about? The population of the 50 states, the U.S. Taxpayers that are supporting that island of Liberal/Socialist/Marxist leeches?

The U.S. Taxpayers have never been asked, in a vote, whether or not they want to continue to support that island of Liberal/Socialist/Marxist ingrates.

If that's the population you're talking about, then I agree.

Maybe you're talking about the population of Puerto Rico that has been asked 3 times, in island-wide plebiscites, whether or not they want to continue to be a territory of the United States?

They answered 'Si!' 3 times!

How could anyone but a Liberal/Socialist believe that it isn't their fault they're still a territory of the United States?!!

That's what they voted for!

LOL!

[4Freedom]

"I'm not a liberal or a socialist. I just don't think it's the population's fault that PR is a US territory."

Sounds like "Socialist Twaddle" to me!

Ai, Bendito! Pobrecito! It's somebody else's fault!

A Liberal/Socialist always believes it's somebody else's fault!

LOL!