Zoltan Sarosy received birthday greetings from the Mayor of Toronto, the Premier of Ontario and the Prime Minister for his birthday yesterday. The former chess master turned 110, and according to the Gerontology Research Group, he is the oldest man in Canada.
Sarosy learned to play chess at the age of 10. He continued the game in university in Vienna, and became a master in 1943. People are wondering if it’s playing chess that can account for his amazing memory. The outbreak of both World War One and Two he can still recall clearly.
“That makes him an amazing storyteller,”
Sarosy moved to Canada from his native Budapest, Hungary in 1950 and continued to play chess by mail. In 1967 he was the national correspondence chess champion.
Always open to new developments, he is “extremely impressed by the airplane” according to Stacey Simon. The young filmaker is doing a documentary on the centenarian.
“He can remember what he did a few hours ago, or yesterday, or a week ago” as well as events in his life from decades long gone by, Simon told CBC News in Toronto. “That makes him an amazing storyteller,” she said.
Sarosy bought his first computer at 95, continuing to play online. While he gave up chess at 107, he continues to correspond with friends and loved-ones by e-mail.
People may be crediting the brain-stimulating nature of chess for Sarosy’s great memory, but he says “I’ve never felt sad or depressed in my entire life”
His family and friends gathered at the High Park residence in Toronto that is now home for Sarosy. Sharing his favourite Black Forest cake, decorated like a chess board, Sarosy says he’s still working on the formula for a long and healthy life. And when he discovers it, he’s caling the patent office.
For reasons beyond our control, and for an undetermined period of time, our comment section is now closed. However, our social networks remain open to your contributions.