91-year-old Singaporean working 12-hour shifts shares his ‘secret’ to staying fit; R Madhavan shares video

At a time when many people dream of retiring early, a 91-year-old man in Singapore is offering a very different view on staying active and connected with life. His brief interaction with Australian traveller Jaden Laing has touched social media users worldwide and even caught the attention of actor R Madhavan.

‘Still reporting for duty every day’

While travelling through Singapore, Laing met the elderly man working in a public restroom. What started as a simple greeting soon left him amazed. The man was 91, still turning up for work every day and completing 12-hour shifts without complaint.

When Laing asked about the secret to staying fit at his age, the man laughed and said he ate whatever he normally ate, did not exercise, and simply “kept going”.

Traveller shares video urging kindness to elders

Moved by the man’s warmth and resilience, Laing gave him a small tip for lunch and later posted the video on Instagram. In his caption, he encouraged people to treat older individuals with respect, quoting a verse from Leviticus about honouring the elderly.

The video quickly spread, receiving emotional responses from viewers around the world.

R Madhavan calls the man’s spirit inspiring

Actor R Madhavan reshared the video, describing the man’s spirit as inspiring. Many viewers agreed, saying his constant movement and positive outlook may be the real reason behind his good health. Others praised Laing’s gesture, with one person noting that his tip could “easily cover the man’s groceries for a month”.

Reactions online

Social media users left hundreds of comments.

One wrote, “He is actually healthy because he is active daily.”

Another commented, “If we all emulated this attitude towards strangers, the world would be paradise.”

A third viewer said, “I really hate how our seniors often have to work cleaning jobs and food court jobs when they’re well past retirement age here. Thank you for making his day.”

A fourth user added, “I think bro was legit shocked someone asked him how his day was he felt so good that you too an interest in him. Love that – respect.”