The world’s two oldest living men swapped birthday messages across 14,000 kilometers on their shared Oct. 5 milestone, a rare exchange caregivers called a privilege to witness.
The New York Post reported that Ken Weeks turned 113 at a Whiddon aged-care home in Grafton, New South Wales, and received a special birthday message from João Marinho Neto, the only man older than him.
Weeks recorded a video message in return, thanking Neto and wishing him a happy birthday. LongeviQuest, a global longevity research body, recognizes Neto as the world’s oldest living man and Weeks as the second-oldest. Both men are age-validated by the group.
They share the same calendar birthday, exactly one year apart. Neto was born in Maranguape, Ceará, Brazil. Weeks was born Oct. 5, 1913, in Grafton. Whiddon, the not-for-profit provider that cares for Weeks, framed the exchange in a Monday media release as something no one could plan.
Chris Mamarelis, Whiddon’s chief executive, put the moment in plain terms.
"Today, he connects with the only man on earth older than him. Two men, born a year and 14,000 kilometres apart, exchanging messages on the one day that belongs to both of them. That is not something we can plan for. It is a privilege to witness."
Mamarelis did not treat the ages as a gimmick.
"Ken’s 113th birthday is an extraordinary milestone, but for us, it was never about the number. It’s about Ken, and the life he has lived to get here."
He went further on the rarity of the day.
"I don’t believe we will ever see this again. The world’s two oldest men. One 113 today, the other 114. On the same day, wishing each other happy birthday from opposite sides of the world. That is not rare. That is special, and it may be the only time it ever happens."
Weeks has lived in Australia’s Northern Rivers region for more than a century. He grew up the eldest of five on a riverside farm at Swan Creek in the Clarence Valley, attended Carrs Creek Primary School and Grafton High School, and spent decades in practical trades.
He built roads, drove trucks and buses, ran a service station, operated a radio and electrical repair business and a milk bar, and co-owned a car dealership and repair shop in Grafton. He also designed and constructed boats and trucks. During World War II he could not join the Royal Australian Air Force, so he helped build wartime airfields instead.
In 1941 he married Jean McPhee. They had two sons, Ian and Noel, and were married 45 years until her death in 1986. Weeks stayed in his own home for 65 years before moving into care. At 100 he was still walking into town to do his shopping. He entered Whiddon Grafton just before his 105th birthday in 2018 and has now lived there for seven years.
Sandra Osborne, residential services manager at Whiddon Grafton, described him as part of the home’s family.
"Ken is such a special part of our Whiddon Grafton family. We’ve had the privilege of caring for him for many years now, and it’s wonderful to see him reach another incredible milestone."
Eunice Weeks, his granddaughter, tied the long life to character rather than luck.
"Grandpa’s resilience, determination, and independence combined with his faith in God have given him a remarkable and long life. And while he is remarkable, I also love that he has lived a simple ordinary life of industrious hard work. To me he is a typical Aussie battler, that just happens to be my grandad."
That is the through-line the birthday messages quietly underline. Two men born a year apart, half a world from each other, still standing, still able to send good wishes on the same date. No press strategy invented it. A long life of steady work, family, and endurance made it possible.
Longevity records will keep turning over. What lasts is the older measure: keep your word, do the work, hold your faith, and stay useful as long as you can. The rest is commentary.
