Shocking things happen every day on planet Earth. Somehow, one man has been dodging death for almost 40 years, though he isn't taking full credit for it. According to him, he's received significant help from the "blue zone," a part of the planet where people tend to live longer than expected.
Keep reading for the interesting details.
The Greek Island of Ikaria has been described as one of the blue zones in the world where people experience unusually long lifespans. It's been famously described as "the island where people forget to die," and there have been scientific studies to try and prove it.
Stamatis lived on the island for years - a decision he made after doctors diagnosed him with lung cancer in 1976 and told him he had six to nine months left.
A defeated Moraitis, who also didn't want to burden his family with the cost of funerals in The United States, decided to move back to his native island home and spend his last days sipping on wine.
As time went by, he discovered he had outlived his window and felt even more powerful. Then, it dawned on him he may just have more time on his side than what the doctors had projected.
The first few months after he moved back home, Moraitis planted some vegetables, hoping his old parents and family would enjoy them after he was gone. After the six months window came and passed, the man expanded his vineyard until it could produce 400 gallons of wine a year.
Moraitis eventually lived for 40 more years from the day of his diagnosis, leading an extremely healthy lifestyle and beating cancer without any drugs, chemotherapy, or treatment of any sort.
He died at the ripe age of 98 (according to official records) or 102 (from his personal statement) in 2013.
During his interview with the BBC, Moraitis attributed his sound health and recovery at that time to clean air, good food and a life free of stress on the island, while giving kudos to the good wine.
According a research by this body, it's now stated that only 20% of someone's life expectancy is determined by genetics, the rest is largely dependent on lifestyle choices. This suggests that Moraitis' decision to settle in a blue zone provided him the lifestyle improvements needed to cheat death.
Scientists have also discovered that the stories about people living longer in blue zones are not just based on a one-person effort; instead, they result from a shared common interest with the outcome of living healthy in mind.
The island itself is 99 square miles and is home to over 10,000 Greek nationals. It's located about 30 miles away from the western coast of Turkey. Before the Christian era, this Island housed rich oak forests and healthy vineyards.
The island became popular as the choice health destination as far back as 25 centuries ago when the Greeks traveled to the island for a healthy soak in the hot springs near Therma.
Georgirenes, the bishop of Ikaria, described it's population as a proud people who slept on the ground, while stating that it's normal to see people live beyond 100 years of age on the island.
“The most commendable thing on this island, is their air and water, both so healthful that people are very long-lived, it being an ordinary thing to see persons in it of 100 years of age.”
This Greek war veteran entered the U.S. for treatment of a gunshot wound and eventually settled in Port Jefferson, N.Y. a settlement of people from his native island, Ikaria where he engaged in manual labor.
Young Moraitis then moved to Boynton Beach, Florida, met a Greek-American woman, married and shared three children with her. They then bought a three-bedroom house and a 1951 Chevrolet till tragedy struck in 1976, which changed Moraitis' life forever.
