Benito Martínez
The topic of this article may not meet Wikipedia's notability guideline for biographies. (November 2021) |
Benito Martínez Abrogán | |
---|---|
Born | Benito Martínez Abrogán June 19, 1880 (claimed) Cavaellon, Haiti; however, he had no documents to verify this and was thus never an officially eligible candidate for this record.[1] The Cuban government sent officials to Haiti to investigate, but found nothing to either prove or disprove the claim. Cuban government medical experts attested that he was at least 119 years old at the time of his death, but the reasons for this determination were never presented.[2][3]
Early lifeMartínez has papers proving he came to Cuba via Ciego de Avila, where he lived out his days as a perpetual bachelor. He attributed his longevity to a healthy diet of rice and fresh vegetables and the occasional alcoholic beverage. Mr. Martínez also said the secret to his long life was that, "he had never cheated a man or said bad things of other people."[4]
Personal lifeHe never owned a car. He always walked, rode a bike or took the bus. Hobbies included breeding sweet potatoes cooked in pork fat. Only in the last twenty years of his life did he give up smoking. His first doctor's visit was not until he was around 115. The only time he went to the hospital was a few days before he died.[3]
ControversyNo actual record exists of either his birth or his life prior to his immigration to Cuba, making him ineligible for consideration for the title of African-American woman aged 116. Nonetheless, Abrogan maintained his claim until his death, and in his later years was the star attraction of the country's recently formed 120-Club, an organization promoting healthy lives for Cuba's senior citizens.[1][3]
See also
References
|