In January 2022, the street photographer and director Steve Reeves was out in his London neighborhood when he met a 97-year-old at a bus stop.
Michael Hopkins, who had overgrown white eyebrows, was wearing a “nice” overcoat and “really shiny shoes,” Reeves, 58, told Business Insider.
Reeves said he mostly likes to photograph older people, particularly those who dress smartly because they seem to be hanging on to conventions, despite seeing the world change greatly. They also tend to be open to chatting and usually have “interesting” faces.
The pair spoke and Reeves took a few photos before Hopkins’ bus arrived.
When he visited Hopkins’ apartment to share the photos, he was shocked.
“He was living in a terrible state, in this room with the carpet covered in stains and the curtains hanging off. I then discovered that he had no relatives. He was an orphan because his mum died when he was six, and he had this heartbreaking story,” Reeves said.
Hopkins, who was born in 1924, grew up in Dublin, Ireland. When his mother died, his father “didn’t want to know,” Reeves said. Hopkins and his older brother, Paddy, were put into a school where he said they were physically abused.
Hopkins later moved to London, where he shared an apartment with his brother and worked in tailoring. Neither of them married and Paddy died about 15 years ago, and Hopkins had been living alone since.
Reeves lived close to Hopkins, so he started checking on him every few days. As they got closer, he began buying Hopkins’ groceries each week, before hiring some carers for him and battling with his landlord to improve his living conditions. Now friends, Reeves visits Hopkins every other day.
Hopkins turned 100 on February 11.
“He’s got this great constitution. I wish I knew what his secret was. His diet is abysmal, all sausages and custard creams,” he added, referring to British cookies. “He does do little exercises every day. But I never thought we’d make it to 100.”
Reeves added: “I’ve gotten so much more out of it than I’ve given. It’s opened up my life.”
Reeves shared the nuggets of wisdom he has learned from Hopkins and the other older Londoners he has photographed.
Stay active
Hopkins walked to the shops to buy a newspaper every day until he was 98. He walks most days to a nearby pond or to get a bacon sandwich, in the company of his carers.
Reeves said Hopkins is active compared to other 100-year-olds that he had photographed, who were bed-bound. Hopkins still does workouts appropriate to his abilities.
“He does these little half squats, holding onto the table, and then he lifts one leg and the other leg up,” Reeves said.
BI has previously reported on how centenarians stay fit without going to the gym.
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Take your time
One of the biggest things Reeves has learned from Hopkins is to slow down and relax.
“Leaving the house with Hopkins, he loses his teeth, his walking stick, his keys. You have to just really take your time and you have to allow a lot more time for things,” he said. Reeves said that this applies to his career, too.
He used to work in the fast-paced advertising industry but now is in no rush to achieve career milestones. Hopkins has shown him that he has years ahead of him yet.
Appreciate the small things
Reeves also takes “day-to-day stuff a lot less seriously” after meeting many older people.
“They just put life into perspective because they’re all so close to death,” he said. Worrying about buying a better car or getting rich is futile because everyone dies, he said.
Instead, Reeves has learned to appreciate the small things in life. For example, a 94-year-old man named Henry, whom Reeves spoke to last year, said that every sunrise was precious to him.
Ask people questions — including your parents
All the older people Reeves speaks to are so keen to tell him their stories.
“They’ve all got so much to say,” he said. But he often finds that their children and grandchildren find out details of their lives when Reeves does, either because the older people don’t talk about their pasts, or because their relatives don’t ask questions.
“I love asking those questions because when they tell you, there’s always something quite amusing, and they’re all quite unusual,” Reeves said.
“I think there’s no such thing as an ordinary person,” he added. “Everyone’s got something interesting and cool about their personal lives.
“I’ve talked to people from so many different backgrounds, people I never would’ve spoken to had I not had my camera. It’s opened up my life and given me so much back.”
