South African Freddie Blom, who was considered the oldest man in the world, has died at the age of 116.
Documents proving his identity show that he was born in Eastern Cape in May 1904, although this has never been verified by Guinness World Records.
When Freddie Blom was a teenager, his entire family was wiped out by the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic. He survived two world wars and apartheid.
Freddie Blom spent most of his life as a worker – first on a farm and then in the construction industry – and retired when he was 80 years old.
Although he quit drinking many years ago, but usually smoked.
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However, a coronavirus-related block imposed by the South African government reportedly meant that Freddie Blom could not buy tobacco to roll his own cigarettes on the day of his 116th birthday.
His family reported that he died a natural death in Cape Town on 22 August.
“Two weeks ago it fell [grandfather] still sec firewood » This was stated by family spokesman Andre Naida to AFP.
“He was a strong man, full of pride.”
But within days Freddie Blom had shrunk “from big man to small,” he added.
Andre Naidu said the family did not believe his death was related to Covid-19.
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