At 146, World's Oldest Man 'Mbah Ghoto' Dies in Indonesia -- What's His Secret to Long Life?

A man who claimed to be the world's oldest person has died at the age of 146 in his village in the Seragaen district of Central Java.

According to local reports, ID's and papers of Saparman Sodimejo, also known as Mbah Ghoto (meaning, Granpa Ghoto), verify that he was the oldest person, having been born in December 1870. This has also been confirmed to BBC, albeit Indonesia only started recording births in the1900s.

"Since he came back from the hospital, he only ate spoonfuls of porridge and drank very little," Sodimejo's grandson Suyanto told the BBC. He added that on April 12, Mbah Ghoto was rushed to the hospital because of his weakening health condition. A few days after, he insisted on coming home.

"It only lasted a couple of days. From that moment on to his death, he refused to eat and drink," Suyanto added.

Indian Express cited that Sodimejo had been preparing for his death since he was 122, and a gravestone was made for him in 1992. He had outlived his children, 10 siblings and four wives.

A former fisherman and admittedly a heavy smoker, Sodimejo was interviewed last year by the Jakarta Post wherein he shared that as soon as he retired from fishing, he spent most of his time listening to the radio and smoking. He remained physically strong through the years. As a matter of fact, he only started using a cane in 2015 at the age of 144. Asked about his secret to longevity, he responded fortitude and wholeheartedness:

"Life is only a matter of accepting your destiny wholeheartedly. I have wanted to die for a long time. My wives, children and siblings all have passed away but Gusti Allah [God] has blessed me with a long life. I have to live my life patiently and accept my destiny wholeheartedly," Mbah Ghoto said. 

Meanwhile, as mentioned by Metro, the oldest person ever recorded with verified documents is Jeanne Calment -- a French woman who was 122 when she passed away in 1997.