A 106-year-old Australian “super centenarian” shares his secrets to long life.
Gordon Ewers, an Australian great-grandfather who recently celebrated his centennial plus six, passed along some guidance to a Perth local TV station on how to have a healthy and long life.
Described as being “sharp as a tack,” Ewers shared what’s worked for him through all these years since 1916, giving advice to “live sensibly, breathe regularly, think positively, and live hopefully.”
The trick for the Perth man — who has lived through both world wars — is “not so much what I’ve done, but what I haven’t done,” he told Australia’s 9News.
“I’ve never smoked and never drunk alcohol in my life,” he said, “the absence of which is probably one of the things that helps towards achieving old age.”
Beyond the health advice, the wise elder also spoke about a life-altering habit he formed while living through the Great Depression.
“The big Depression, from 1933 on, that has influenced a lot of my behavior ever since. I’m still very careful with money and watch what I spend,” he said.
That sober and frugal lifestyle did well for Ewers’ family throughout the years, his daughter Marian Hall said, calling her dad “loving and always there.”
“We did lots of things together as a family, and he’s got a great sense of humor and is really a good dad,” she added.
But despite reaching such an age milestone is such good mental and physical health, all Ewers isn’t all that impressed with himself — he’s just grateful.
“I can’t say it’s much of an achievement. It just happened to me, which I’m very happy for it to have done,” Ewers told 9News.
Still, seemingly in high spirits, he sang “Danny Boy” during his interview with the TV channel, also joking, “I’m well. The bloke inside the failing body, the bloke inside is all right.”
