He Smoked for 107 Years, and You Won’t Believe What Finally Killed Him
For more than a century, Jan Steenberg lived a life that seemed to defy every public health warning ever written. By his own account, he lit his first cigarette at 14 and never really stopped. The habit followed him through two world wars, South Africa’s apartheid era, and the COVID-19 pandemic. When he died in early January 2026, it was not lung cancer or heart disease that ended his story. It was an asthma attack, just hours after he marked what his family said was his 121st birthday.
A Life That Stretched Across Eras
Image via Getty Images/onuma Inthapong
Steenberg, affectionately known as Oom Jan in his community, was born on December 31, 1904, according to local records and family accounts. He spent decades working as a grave digger, fisherman, and golf caddie, jobs that kept him active well into old age.
He eventually settled in Colchester in South Africa’s Eastern Cape, where he lived for more than 50 years and became something of a local legend.
People who knew him described a man who dressed sharply, loved to dance at community events, and never missed a chance to tell stories from a life that seemed to span multiple worlds. He was a familiar face at senior citizen gatherings, often receiving honorary recognition because he was always older than everyone else in the room.
Smoking From Teen Years to Triple Digits
Steenberg claimed that he had smoked almost continuously since his teens. By the time he passed away, that added up to roughly 107 years with cigarettes as a daily companion.
In interviews, he spoke about the habit with honesty, admitting that he had stolen cigarettes as a boy and never really saw a reason to quit. Despite that, he credited his longevity to faith rather than lifestyle choices.
He often said that God was his strength and the reason he kept waking up each morning. He also mentioned a homemade herbal drink he consumed throughout his life, though he never claimed it as a cure or secret formula, just a routine he believed helped him feel well.
The Final Hours
On New Year’s Day 2026, Steenberg spent time with family after celebrating his birthday. Later that afternoon, he suffered a severe asthma attack.
Relatives said he struggled to breathe and passed away within hours, surrounded by loved ones. The cause of death surprised many who assumed that a lifetime of smoking would end in a more familiar way.
His age was never formally verified by Guinness World Records, which means he was not officially recognized as the world’s oldest man. Even so, living past 120 while openly smoking for most of that time left people stunned and curious about how much of longevity is genetics, environment, chance, or something else entirely.
Family, Faith, and Community
Steenberg left behind two daughters, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and a small menagerie of pets, including four dogs and a cat. Friends and caregivers spoke about his kindness and humility, noting how deeply he cared for both people and animals around him.
One longtime caregiver recalled feeling unsettled on the day of his death, later learning that her restlessness coincided with the hours he was fighting to breathe.
Community members remembered him as gentle, soft-spoken, and joyful. He was the kind of person who made an impression without trying.