Australia’s oldest man alive Dexter Kruger celebrated his 111th birthday yesterday, and I’m already complaining about the aches in my knees.
In pretty impressive news, Australia’s oldest man alive Dexter Kruger has turned a ripe young age of 111. To put that in perspective, Dexter has lived through both World Wars, the Great Depression, numerous droughts, a plethora of prime ministers, so many fashion trends, and, now, another pandemic.
Unfortunately, due to the aforementioned pandemic, Dexter’s celebrations at his nursing home in South Western Queensland will have to be a little quieter than usual.
“COVID-19 means quite a few people can’t come, but we will still have a good time,” the former farmer told the ABC about his birthday plans. Dexter has lived through it all, seen so much but says “the positives outweigh the negatives,” as he recalls the first time he picked up a phone.
“One of the most wonderful things I can ever remember happening was hearing [the telephone] up to my ear. It was like magic,” he said.
The secret to living to 111? "I sing and whistle, and I have half a dozen prawns every day." Ah bless! Happy birthday to the oldest living Aussie. https://t.co/5CzeRvwryW
— Prue Gildea (@PrueGildea) January 12, 2021
Kruger was asked about his secrets to a long life and ever so positively he replied: “There’s no secret. Keep breathing, have three meals a day, and the time goes on.”
However, Dexter did admit he has one consistent habit on top of whistling and singing: “I have half a dozen prawns every day. I think they’re very good for you.”
“And for my evening meal, I’ll often have a tin of sardines with my soup,” he said.
Not even Life wants to mess with someone named Dexter Kruger. https://t.co/AWVNK31SZ1
— Black+White=Grey (@colour_is_light) January 12, 2021
Living for so long hasn’t come without its close calls, as Dexter remembers the toughness of living on farms and working in the bush, recalling the time his father saved his life from a poisonous snake bite. “I was working in the field and a black snake bit me on the foot,” he continued.
“My father was alongside of me, he drew his pocketknife, picked up my foot, slit it, put his mouth over it, and sucked all the poison out. If he hadn’t done that, I would have been dead in 10 minutes,” he said.
