A Russian man who claimed to be the oldest person in the world has passed away at the (unofficially recognized) age of 123 years.
Appaz Iliev, from the republic of Ingushetia, near Georgia, was born in 1896, reported Russian media.
Iliev’s tips for a long life included mountain air, generosity, and avoiding doctors and medication.
“Our long living man, the eldest citizen of Russia, Appaz Iliev has died at the age of 123,” the head of the Ingushetia republic, Yunus-Bek Yevkurov, posted on Instagram on May 11.
“Appaz lived through epochs and generations, raising eight children. He had 35 grandchildren, 34 great-grandchildren and several great-great-grandchildren.”
“He remained a kind and loving old man who loved this life. I know this myself because I met him several times.”
Iliev’s birth records were lost in 1944 when he was deported to Kazakhstan by Stalin, along with other ethnic Inguish people, where he lived in poverty.
According to reports over the years, Iliev lived a simple, healthy life in the mountains.
“He never smoked or drank alcohol, either as a young man or after,” his nephew told RGRU in 2016. “He eats vegetables from his own garden, fresh dairy products, fresh meat, drinks spring water.”
At 120, Iliev still had all of his teeth, his nephew said.
“Grandpa still has a good memory. In Ingush, he tells his relatives and fellow villagers jokes and epics, which he heard from his great-grandfathers,”
He rode a horse and tended to the cattle until he was the age of 117, according to RGRU, and at around 120 was still cutting the grass.
Ironically, despite being called “Russia’s oldest man,” Iliev never learned to speak Russian, instead using his native Inguish language throughout his life.
“He loves to say: ‘If you see some man in need of help—don’t turn your head away. Jump up and help him.’
“His second piece of advice is to value what we have and to share it with others. He often kills his animal for meat and shares it with poor people.”
Various other claims have been made in recent times of people living for longer than 116 years, but they have not been authenticated by the Guinness Book of Records.