‘Exercise daily, smile often’: 111-year-old in Surrey’s advice as he becomes Canada’s oldest man

SURREY (NEWS 1130) — Canada’s oldest man, who recently celebrated his 111th birthday at a Surrey care home, says one of the keys to a long life is not sweating the small stuff.

Saying he considers himself lucky to have lived for more than a century, Ja Hyung Lee Lee shared some advice before cutting his cake.

“Exercise daily, smile often, surround yourself with good people – friends and family – practice your faith, and try not to get too stressed out about day-to-day life,” he said, according to a statement from Amenida Seniors Community where Lee has lived since 2009.

Rosa Park, a manager at the care home, says Lee definitely follows his own advice. Every morning he spends 30 minutes on an exercise bike, he always takes the stairs instead of the elevator, and he signs up for all the activities on offer.

“He never skips exercise. His personality is really kind, and he never complains,” she says.

Lee’s party featured small mountains of fresh fruit, a saxophone serenade, songs by a choir of fellow residents, and a performance by traditional Korean dancers. He was joined by his family, the Honourary consul for the Seoul Metropolitan Council, and the President of the Korean Veteran Association.

Park says not everyone Lee wanted to celebrate with could come because of the pandemic, including his son who lives in Brazil. But a traditional table was set, and the staff did what they could to make the day special.

“He was happy, the other day he stopped by my office and said ‘Thank you so much for my party,'” she says.

“He really appreciated we had this party. Hopefully, we can have another one next year.”