(Lyon) At 112 years old, “he still lived at home”: Marcel Meys, recently recognized as the oldest man in France, died overnight from Tuesday to Wednesday at the hospital in Vienne (Isère) after having contracted COVID-19.
“He still lived at home, but he had COVID-19 and the situation deteriorated, he was placed on oxygen, they did the impossible, but what do you think, at 112 years old …”, declared to AFP Nicole Boiron, the only daughter of the supercentenary, confirming information from the Dauphiné Libéré website.
Hospitalized since December 2, Marcel Meys, born July 12, 1909 in Saint-Julien-de-l’Herms (Isère), still lived in his house in Saint-Romain-en-Gal (Rhône), a town located near Vienna.
“He was happy because he was at home, he had all his head, he lived alone, but he was well helped”, benefiting in particular from the assistance of home help, adds Mme Good morning.
This former paramedic, who had known the two World Wars, had been widowed since 1998. He was hard of hearing and almost blind, according to his daughter.
Nicole Boiron describes her father as a man who “worked a lot” and “traveled a little”.
“He liked to play Scrabble, but he didn’t play sports, he walked a little, played pétanque”, she recalls, portraying him as a man “a little lonely, but very family”.
Her funeral is scheduled for Wednesday, December 22 in Sainte-Colombe, a neighboring town of Saint-Romain-en-Gal, she said.
Declared dean for the second time
Marcel Meys had become the oldest of the French on October 5, after the death of Jules Théobald, a 112-year-old former stevedore and fisherman from Martinique residing in Fort-de-France.
The Rhone had been declared for the first time – wrongly – the oldest man in France in October 2019. Contacted at the time by AFP, he said he was “proud” of this distinction which ultimately actually came down to another.
No official body awards the “title” of dean in France. It is the list drawn up in particular by Laurent Toussaint, this fan of statistics who over the years has become a recognized expert on centenarians, which sets the standard in the field.
“Marcel Meys was a fortnight away from becoming the oldest man in France of all time,” said Mr. Toussaint to AFP. Mr. Théobald died at 112 years and 171 days, while Mr. Meys lived 112 years and 156 days.
Currently in France, according to this specialist, “only one man and 33 women” are over 110 years old, the threshold to become a supercentenary. And four 109-year-old men are about to enter this very closed circle.
“More and more men are reaching the rank of super-centenary,” he observes.
After the death of Marcel Meys, the probable new dean of the French is a Niçois who celebrated his 111th birthday on December 6, according to him. But the specialist does not rule out the possibility that another older man may come forward.
The oldest of the French is 117 years old. Sister André, born Lucile Randon for civil status on February 11, 1904, contracted COVID-19 in January 2021 and had recovered without consequences.