"Fell in Love at First Sight, Happy for 85 Years"... Husband of World's Longest-Married Couple Passes Away at 106

Brazilian Husband of Guinness Record-Holding Couple Passes Away
Approaching 85th Wedding Anniversary; Wife Is 102
"The Secret to Our Long Years Together Is Love"

The couple who had maintained the longest marriage among all living couples worldwide has finally parted ways due to bereavement.

On October 22 (local time), Guinness World Records (GWR) announced that Manuel Angelim Dino, the husband of the Brazilian couple who held the Guinness record for the "longest marriage duration among living heterosexual couples," passed away on October 20 at the age of 106.

Among the couples who have maintained the longest marriage worldwide, the husband passed away at the age of 106. Guinness World Records (GWR)

His wife, Maria de Souza Dino, is 102 years old, and the couple was approaching their 85th wedding anniversary. In February of this year, Guinness announced that the couple had set a new official record for the longest marriage among living couples, as their marriage duration surpassed 84 years and 77 days.

Manuel and Maria were married in 1940 at a chapel in Cear?, a northeastern state of Brazil. Their first meeting was in 1936, when Manuel was 17 and Maria was 13. Manuel, who had gone to the small village of Almeida to buy rapaduras, a traditional Brazilian sugar candy, recalled that he "fell in love at first sight" when he met Maria for the first time.

In fact, it was four years later that the two became a couple. When Manuel happened to meet Maria again, he did not want to miss the opportunity, so he bravely asked her out on a date, and Maria accepted. At first, Maria's family opposed their relationship. However, Manuel worked hard to earn their trust by demonstrating his sincerity, and finally, the two were married in November 1940.

The couple raised 13 children while farming tobacco. Later, they had 55 grandchildren, 54 great-grandchildren, and 12 great-great-grandchildren. After both turned 100, they spent quiet days together at home. Due to their advanced age, they spent most of their time resting, and every evening, they would listen to the radio together. When asked about the secret to their long and happy marriage, Maria said, "It's very simple. It's love."