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As the world continues its technological sprint toward the future, Neto remains a serene anchor in the past. He doesn’t need an app to tell him his heart rate because he can feel it beating in time with the laughter of his grandchildren. He doesn’t need a specialist to tell him he is healthy because he feels the strength of the hands that hold his own. His life is a reminder that the most sophisticated piece of technology we will ever possess is the person sitting across from us.
Ultimately, the story of João Marinho Neto is a call to return to the basics. It is a reminder that while science can provide us with more years, only connection can provide those years with a reason to exist. As he looks back over a century of memories, he doesn’t count the days; he counts the faces. And perhaps that is the most important lesson of all: that to live a truly long life, one must first find a reason to stay. João Marinho Neto found his reason in “good people,” and at 113, he is still finding reasons to wake up every morning and see what the next day holds.
