A Brooklyn centenarian with more birthdays under his belt than anyone in the city celebrated the start of his 112th year surrounded by family and friends at his Brooklyn home Sunday.
Dozens of people turned out to wish Ernest Peronneau a happy birthday at his home in Clinton Hill, much to the old man’s delight.
“His mind is sharp — don’t try to be slick with him,” said his great-grandniece, Ayava Bennett, 44. “He’s clear with what’s going on.”
As sharp as his mind may be, all the excitement forced Peronneau to take a much-needed nap shortly after his party.
Her great-grandfather’s secret to a long life is clean living, Bennett said.
“He never drank, never smoked, he never put whiskey to his lips,” she said. “He says, ‘Take care of your body, and your body will take care of you.’ ”
But Peronneau still gets himself into mischief. He went missing last month when he boarded a bus and got off in downtown Brooklyn, forgetting where he was.