Human Interest Puerto Rican Farmer, 112, Is the World's Oldest Living Man: 'My Father Raised Me With Love' Emilio Flores Márquez broke the record previously held by Romania’s Dumitru Comănescu, who died in June 2020 By Jason Duaine Hahn Jason Duaine Hahn Jason Hahn is a Human Interest and Sports Reporter for PEOPLE. He's worked at PEOPLE's Los Angeles Bureau as a writer and reporter since 2017 and has interviewed the likes of Kobe Bryant, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Tom Brady. He has a B.A. in English from the University of California, Berkeley, and a Master's degree in Journalism from Columbia University. He previously worked for Complex Magazine in New York City. People Editorial Guidelines Published on July 6, 2021 04:35 PM Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: Guinness World Records HANDOUT/Shutterstock Starting with Theodore Roosevelt, 112-year-old Emilio Flores Márquez has lived through the terms of a whopping 21 U.S. presidents. Márquez — who, as of Tuesday, is 112 years, 10 months, and 29 days old — was recently confirmed by Guinness World Records to be the world's oldest living man. Born on Aug. 8, 1908, in Carolina, Puerto Rico, Márquez was the second of his parents' 11 children, Guinness World Records said in a statement announcing his milestone. While growing up on the Caribbean island, Márquez helped water and cut the sugar cane plants on his father's farm. As the oldest brother to his nine surviving siblings, Márquez said he often acted as a parental figure for them. "I was the oldest of the children, so I did everything," he told the record-keeping organization. "I scrubbed, I took care of the boys, I did everything." Meet the 114-Year-Old Woman Who Is Now the Oldest Person in America: 'She Doesn't Believe in Worrying' Márquez and his late wife, Andrea Perez, married early on in their lives and were together 75 years until she died in 2010. The couple had four children together (two of whom are still alive), and today, Márquez has five grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. "My father raised me with love, loving everyone," Márquez — who was born just 19 days before former President Lyndon B. Johnson and a few weeks ahead of the release of the Ford Model T — told Guinness World Records. "He always told me and my siblings to do good, to share everything with others," he added. "Besides, Christ lives in me." RELATED VIDEO: Meet 94-Year-Old Who Finally Received Her Highschool Diploma, Becoming Schools Oldest Graduate Guinness World Records said Robert Young, senior consultant for gerontology, examined the evidence before confirming Márquez as the world's oldest living man. Márquez beats the previous oldest living man, Dumitru Comănescu of Romania, who died in June 2020 at 111 years and 219 days, according to Guinness World Records. How to Live as Long as Possible, According to the World's Oldest People The world's current oldest living person is Japan's Kana Tanaka, who is 118 years old. Before her death in 1997 at age 122, Jeanne Calment was considered the oldest person in history, but that claim is under scrutiny.