Courtesy of the Markoff family
- Morrie Markoff was the oldest man in America when he died in early June.
- His daughter said habits like walking daily and pursuing artistic hobbies kept him healthy.
- Markoff donated his brain to research to help scientists better understand aging and cognitive health.
Before becoming the oldest man in America, Morrie Markoff technically died — but not for long.
Just before he turned 99, Markoff, an avid traveler, photographer, and sculptor with a keen interest in discussing world events, suffered a heart attack. While in the hospital, a machine malfunctioned, and Markoff's heart stopped beating for several minutes, his daughter Judith Hansen told Business Insider.