Did you know this? I certainly did not, so I had to investigate. After all, if there is a Fountain of Youth on this island, I need to know about it.
His name is James Emmanuel Sisnett, and he is currently the world's second oldest verified living man.
He was born on February 22, 1900, which makes him 112 years old. Wow, 112 years old!! That is an incredible feat in my book.
He was born the youngest, and the only boy to his parents.
According to Wikipedia, " He is the only living male super centenarian who was verifiably born in 1900."
A super centenarian is defined as someone who has achieved the age of 110 or over.
After leaving school, he was trained as a blacksmith, and later worked at Kendal Sugar Factory making sugar and syrup until his retirement in 1970 as Chief Factory Engineer.
My mind is captivated, I would love to have a chat with Mr. Sisnett......he would be a wealth of knowledge, having worked in the height of the sugar industry....can you imagine the stories he would have to tell?
From two marriages he produced eleven children, that in itself is an achievement in my opinion.
He is affectionately known as "Uncle Doc".
Mr. Sisnett has been blessed with good health, since he has never been a patient in any hospital at any time.
Good health means a blood pressure like that of a young man (120/70), and according to his granddaughter, he not only possesses the memory of an elephant, and the appetite of a truck driver, but a wicked sense of humour as well.
His super centenarian rank has attracted the California-based research company Acron Cell Biotech Company, who visited Barbados to collect blood samples from all family members, hoping to find answers to his and his siblings long life.
Mr. Sisnett had two sisters who both lived to be over 100 years old, and two other sisters who died at 99 years and 98 years old.
James Emmanuel Sisnett
The oldest Barbadian ever
In the meanwhile, I'll be searching for that Fountain of Youth on the island....it has to be here somewhere.
The record of the oldest living man is held by Japan's Jiroemon Kimura who is 114 years old.
Photos are not my own. Borrowed from NationNewsBarbados online and WikiWorldBook.com.
Hi Virginia, I thought it was time I came and said hello on your blog after having "met" you on GB's :)
ReplyDeleteI was just sitting here going through old family documents and photos... My paternal grandmother was born in February 1900 as well, just as this man you are writing about. She died at the age of 79 though.
HER father - my great grandfather - had 11 children in two marriages...
If you find the fountain of youth, will you send me a bottle? I think I might need it to be able to sort out all the family history.
Thanks for stopping by "Dawn"....love seeing you here.
DeleteWow that is such a coincidence regarding the similarities of your family and Mr.Sisnett.
Believe me, if I ever find that FOY, I will send you more than one bottle...promise.
Years ago, I started the task of researching our family tree, but that has fallen by the wayside...will have to get back to it sometime soon.
That's incredible! I wouldn't mind living to that age as long as I'm healthy enough and that I don't out-live my children. That would be awful.
ReplyDeletem.
Mark, I'm not sure I would want to be alive at that age, but maybe with good health it may not be so bad.
DeleteI come from a long lived family but I'm not sure that I want to live that long if I'm honest. I think the secret of happiness is to be the age you are and hope that you can live life to the full. But age is a funny thing. When I was very young my Mum said that I was born with my pension book in my hand. It took me 60+ years to learn how to be young. I'm a lot younger now than I was when I was a teenager.
ReplyDeleteGB, I have never heard of that saying of being born with a pension book in your hand, but I get the picture.
ReplyDeleteLife is meant to be lived in the best way possible that you know how.
I am happier now than when I was younger, because I do enjoy my days of just being me.
I no longer punch a time clock, am stuck in "bumper to bumper" traffic, or working to achieve/own stuff that is not needed. Although I was never one to keep up with the Joneses, or pretending to be what I am not.
I go ziplining, hiking, dare devil plane watching (more on this in another post) whatever takes my fancy. I even want to get back into horseback riding.
My daughter has forbidden me from going parasailing however, but who knows I just might do it off island when she is not around.
I love my life so much better now. Who would have thought that I would be enjoying life so much after 50?
Great blog post, Mr. Sisnett is number 25 on our list. If anyone is interested in more information on these amazing people or other supercentenarians(people over 110 years) we track all verified living supercentenarians at http://www.livingsupercentenarians.com .
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by Kristin, I will definitely check out the website you posted...thanks.
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