World’s oldest man breathes his last aged 112; meet the oldest living person

London: The world’s oldest man passed away in the United Kingdom (UK) on Thursday (May 28) amid the coronavirus crisis around the globe. Bob Weighton (Robert Weighton) breathed his last peacefully in his sleep at the age of 112, his family confirmed in a statement, according to BBC. Weighton was officially declared the oldest man in March this year after Japan’s Chitetsu Watanabe died.

Weighton was born on March 29, 1908, in Hull, East Yorksire, said BBC. “Bob was an extraordinary man, and to the family not really because of the amazing age he reached. A role model to us all, he lived his life interested in and engaged with all kinds of people from across the world,” Weighton’s family said. This year, Weighton did not celebrate his birthday due to the coronavirus outbreak.

The family further stated, “He viewed everyone as his brother or sister and believed in loving and accepting and caring for one another. He had many, many friendships and read and talked politics, theology, ecology and more right up until his death. He also cared greatly for the environment. The second bedroom in his flat was a workshop, filled with furniture, windmills and puzzles he made and sold in aid of charity, often from bits of wood pulled from skips. We are so grateful that until the very end Bob remained our witty, kind, knowledgeable, conversationalist father, grandfather and great grandfather, and we will miss him greatly.”

The Guinness World Records condoled the death of Weighton.

The Guinness World Records website said, “The oldest person ever to have lived is Jeanne Calment (France), who lived to be 122 years and 164 days, and the oldest man ever is Jiroemon Kimura (Japan), who was born on 19 April 1897 and passed away aged at the age of 116 years and 54 days on 12 June 2013. The oldest person living is Kane Tanaka (117 years) (Japan, born on January 2, 1903) who lives in Fukuoka, Japan.” Tanaka is seen here holding the Guinness World Record certificate, in 2019.

Tanaka is pictured in Fukuoka, southwestern Japan, on January 5, 2020, as a nursing home celebrates three days after her 117th birthday.

Tanaka poses for photographs during a ceremony as she is recognised as the world oldest living person on March 9, 2019 in Fukuoka, Japan.

“Guinness World Records is currently investigating the title for the oldest person living (male). Further information will be announced upon confirmation of the next record holder,” Guinness World Records said.