All 111-year-old wants is to die

Published May 11, 2015

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Cape Town - He could easily be the oldest man in Africa, but the only birthday wish Freddy Blom has at the grand old age of 111 is for God to call him home.

The Delft man, who still makes his own coffee, smokes tobacco and chops wood in his backyard, says he is eager to meet his Maker.

Freddy celebrated his remarkable birthday on Friday, May 8, with a quiet day at home with family.

On Sunday, the centenarian managed to blow out the candles on his birthday cake, joined by his wife Jennette, 81, and her grandson Frederick Lottering, 42.

“I don’t want anything [for my birthday],” Freddy told the Daily Voice.

“Ek wag net vir die oubaas om my te kom haal. Ek het genoeg jare gehad.” [I am just waiting on God to come get me, I’ve had enough years.]

The former gardener was born in 1904 in the town of Adelaide in the Eastern Cape.

And Freddy is still as healthy as a horse, considering his age.

“Ek is heeltemal oraait,” [I am just fine] he says.

“It is just my legs which are paining and my hearing which isn’t so good.”

Until the ripe old age of 106, Freddy - who’s never had any kids of his own - was often seen walking to the bush with his cart to chop wood.

Nowadays he just chips away at bits of wood in his backyard.

“I don’t go to the bush anymore, ek kap nie meer hout nie, net hier agter.” [I only chop wood in the yard]

Jennette says as Freddy grows older, he is becoming “a stubborn old man”.

“He is Mr Perfect, if you are busy with something it must be put away immediately,” she laughs.

“But God has been good to him. He doesn’t remember much about his family in the Eastern Cape, only that his brother’s name was Jan.

“When I ask him about a burial, he says we must just put him in a box in the ground.”

Community Development worker Gadija Francis says they’re proud to possibly have the most senior person in the country living in Delft.

Daily Voice

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