Alexander Imich — dubbed the world's oldest man in April — died Sunday morning. In a past interview, he said he didn't know how he managed to win the title.
"He shrugged it off, said he had no idea how that happened." (Via WNBC)
The New York Times reports Imich was born in 1903 in southern Poland.
"He said 'the aeroplane' was the greatest invention he witnessed in his lifetime; he was born 10 months before the flight of the Wright Brothers."
"Alex fled Poland when the Nazis took over in 1939. He ended up in a slave labor camp in Russia and eventually went back to Poland where he got his PhD in zoology." (Via WNBC)
Imich came to the U.S. in the 1950s with his wife, who died in 1986.
A healthy lifestyle may be to credit for his long life. He reportedly never smoked or drank alcohol, and one friend compared his appetite to that of a little bird. (Via YouTube / Howcast)
Imich also proved it's never too late to do something new — publishing a book on the paranormal in 1995. (Via Amazon.com)
We should note while Imich was the oldest man, he was not the oldest person. A Japanese woman named Misao Okawa is currently leading, at 116. (Via ITN / TV Osaka)
"She put her longevity down to two simple things: sushi and sleep." (Via News.com.au)
According to Gerontology Research, the man who now holds the title of oldest man is 111, also living in Japan — which would suggest that country holds some of the best secrets to living a long life.
