A 110-year-old man who lives on his own and drives every day has offered advice on longevity.
Vincent Dransfield from New Jersey celebrated his milestone birthday on March 28 at Singac Volunteer Fire Company #3 in Little Falls, where he once served as chief.
According to the world supercentenarian rankings list, Dransfield is the eighth oldest reported man alive, becoming one of few men in the group of 110+ who has lived a long life all those years.
It’s uncommon for men to live to 100, with the New England Centenarian Study based at Boston University revealing that only 15% percent of centenarians are male.
Born on March 28, 1914, Dransfield - who is a dad of one, grandfather of three, and great-grandfather of seven - enjoys remarkable longevity.
He revealed to Today that he has never had major diseases, headaches, or backaches. “I’ve been very, very, very lucky in my lifetime," he remarked.
He requires no help with daily living and is completely self-sufficient, being able to navigate between his property's main floor, bedroom upstairs, and the basement where he does his laundry.
The publication reported that his grandchildren visit him once a week to bring him some groceries and call every other day to check in on how he's doing.
When asked how he feels at 110, Dransfield quipped that he’s ready to put on boxing gloves and box. “I manage to do everything,” he said. “I drive pretty good.”
His granddaughter, Erica Lista, chimed in and said: “He drives completely fine - better than some other people I see."
There are several things Dransfield credits his longevity to, with one of those being the 80 years he spent serving as a member of the local volunteer fire department.
The 110-year-old said volunteering with the engine helped him to get his exercise in when responding to calls, and heartwarmingly added that his colleagues became his family, especially after his wife of 54 years passed away in 1992.
“After my grandmother passed away, that’s really what kept him going. Every day, he would go to the firehouse from 3 to 5, and all the old guys would sit there and hang out. That was like his family,” Lista told the publication.
The great-grandpa also shared that "luck" and "milk" played a key role in his long life, sharing that he began working at a dairy farm and delivered milk for the next five years while having an unlimited supply.
“I was drinking milk and eating well because I worked on a farm. And I often go back and think they gave me a good start in life and for my bones in my body,” he said.
Finally, Dansfield concluded that having a positive mindset and being surrounded by love and family has helped him live past a century.
“Knowing people and loving people makes me live longer,” he said. "I keep positive. I never think any other way when something’s wrong."
“I’m doing fine and I hope the good Lord keeps me that way," Dansfield added.
