Walter Finch
NOT many ‘babies of the family’ can get to the fine old age of 76 and have 11 older siblings all still alive.
But that’s the case for the Hernandez-Perez family, whose 12 brothers and sisters regularly dine together at weekends.
Now the Guinness Book of Records has honoured the family – including 76-year-old ‘baby’ Luis – as being world champions.
The combined ages of the Gran Canaria natives reach an astounding 1,074 years – an entire millennia encapsulated in one set of siblings.
It comes a year since they set a new world record for the highest combined age of 12 living siblings, dethroning the previous holders in Pakistan.
They recently got together for a celebratory meal, where they shared some of their secrets.
Big brother Jose, affectionately known as ‘Pepe’, is the oldest at 98 years old.
He attributes his longevity to a simple motto: “Live peacefully, don’t get upset and work hard.”
The long-living dozen, from the village of Villa de Moya, have spent their lives in each other’s company, working in the local fields.
This, they say, is part of their secret to maintaining their health.
Scientists might also want to take a look at what’s in their genome, too.
Mama Martina passed away in 1991 at the age of 91, while papa Modesto died in November 2002, at 105 years old.
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