Could this 123-year-old Ecuadorian charcoal maker be the world’s oldest man?

According to his identity card, Carlos Alberto Lindao is 123 years old, a charcoal maker who still works daily and lives alone with his cat, Donald.

Footage filmed on Wednesday, November 26, shows Carlos beginning his day at dawn, walking to the shoreline to search for driftwood carried in by the tide. When none appear, he rows his small boat into the mangrove estuaries to gather branches, just as he has done for decades. He then turns the wood into charcoal, using a method taught by his grandfather when he was 12.

Despite his age, Carlos maintains a humble routine. “I do not feel either bored or tired. What I feel is happy,” he said as he looked through old family photographs. Each morning, he begins with a prayer: “I say thank God that we have woken up. I hope that you bless me and help me in whatever way you can,” he told Viory.

Carlos sells his charcoal in a nearby town for six to seven dollars per bag, often hauling the sacks on his shoulders before taking a bus. On days when wood is scarce, he collects plastic bottles to earn money instead.

Loneliness, he says, has become one of the most difficult parts of growing old. Most of his friends have died, leaving him without steady companionship. “I have seen all my friends die; I am the only one,” he reflected. “I say, Lord, well, it depends on you. You still give me life.”

Carlos lives in a modest structure made of planks and scrap material, which he shares with his chicken coop. Still, he remains content, not seeking recognition or records.

No formal verification process is underway to confirm his age. According to Guinness World Records, the world’s oldest living man is currently João Marinho Neto of Brazil, born in 1912, making him 112 and more than a decade younger than Carlos, if the Ecuadorian’s documents prove accurate.