4’3″ Farmer the ‘Oldest Person Ever’ at 125 Years Old

4’3″ Farmer the ‘Oldest Person Ever’ 

at 125 Years Old

In a world addicted to shortcuts, one man quietly lived through wars, revolutions, pandemics, and five generations of broken promises—and did it all without a cell phone, social media, or government handouts.

Meet Marcelino “Mashico” Abad Tolentino, a humble Peruvian farmer who may have just become the oldest living person in history—celebrating his 125th birthday on April 5.

And here’s the kicker—he’s only 4-foot-3.

Born in 1900, deep in the mountains of Peru’s Chaglla District, Tolentino’s story is a throwback to everything that built the modern world: faith, grit, and a life lived off the land. His government-issued ID confirms his birth year—long before electricity or cars made it to his village.

“He is proof that simplicity, hard work, and natural living still matter,” said local official Raúl Castañeda, who attended Tolentino’s birthday celebration in the care home where he now lives in Huánuco.

Life didn’t start easy for Marcelino. He lost both parents in a river accident when he was just seven. With no school nearby, and no one to depend on, the young boy went straight to work in the fields.

He reared animals, traded crops, and taught himself survival using only what God and the land gave him.

He never married. Never had children. Just pure, rugged independence.

“He lived a solitary life, but not a lonely one,” said social worker Maria Estrada. “He was always helping his neighbors, sharing food, medicine, and advice.”

Mashico says the secret to his long life isn’t magic—it’s vegetables, lamb, and his own avocado trees.

“This garden is my Eden,” he reportedly told caretakers, pointing to the small backyard patch he still insists on tending. He also chews coca leaves—a traditional Andean plant—to keep his energy up. His caretakers say he’s never needed more than herbs, fruit, and hard work to stay healthy.

His cook, Dolores Pérez, says avocados are non-negotiable. “He won’t start his day without them. He says it keeps his mind sharp and body strong.”

Tolentino’s story is making waves beyond Peru. Guinness World Records confirmed they’re aware of his age and are encouraging his family to submit verification.

The current official title-holder is 116-year-old Sister Inah Canabarro Lucas, a Brazilian nun born in 1908. That’s eight years after Tolentino.

If his age is confirmed, he wouldn’t just be the oldest living person—he’d be the oldest person ever recorded.

In today’s age of fast food, fast news, and faster burnout, Marcelino Tolentino is a reminder that longevity isn’t just about medicine—it’s about mindset.

He didn’t rely on modern systems. He built his life with his hands, his faith, and his vegetables.

“He never complained. He just worked. He believed in self-reliance,” said a local priest who knows him.

No politics. No protests. No victimhood.

Just a quiet, relentless will to live.

Now that’s a legacy worth remembering.

https://whatsnewtoday.org/2025/04/08/43-farmer-the-oldest-person-ever-at-125-years-old/