World’s oldest men turn 114 and 113 on same day, then exchange birthday cards

Imagine turning 114 and getting a birthday card from the only other man on Earth who truly understands what it is like to reach such an extraordinary age. That is what happened this week when the world’s two oldest living men marked their birthdays with a remarkable exchange of cards.

Brazil’s João Marinho Neto turned 114 on October 5. On the very same day, Australia’s Ken Weeks celebrated his 113th birthday — and, astonishingly, the two men were born exactly one year apart on the same date.

Neto was born on October 5, 1912, while Weeks arrived on October 5, 1913. The extraordinary birthday connection prompted the pair to exchange greetings despite being thousands of kilometres apart. Neto posed with a birthday message for Weeks, who returned the gesture with a card of his own. The birthday exchange was arranged with help from longevity organisation LongeviQuest and Weeks’ aged-care provider, Whiddon.

And there is another remarkable detail. Weeks is the first Australian man verified to have reached 113, while Neto has joined the tiny club of men in history verified to have lived to 114. They have never met. But every October 5, they have something almost nobody else on Earth can claim — the same birthday, and a very good reason to send each other a card.