At 100 years old, former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger was so old that he outlived one of the journalists listed as the author of his obituary published by The New York Times by 13 years, Business Insider reports.

An American daily notes at the very end of an obituary detailing how he influenced international politics for more than half a century that:

“Michael T. Kaufman, a former correspondent and editor for The Times who died in 2010, contributed to this report.”

Kaufman died of pancreatic cancer at the age of 71 after a long and distinguished career in journalism. After his retirement, he wrote books as well as obituaries for prominent world leaders.

How the name of the journalist who died 13 years ago ended up in Henry Kissinger’s obituary

The mention of Kaufman in Kissinger’s obituary is due to the fact that major international publications prepare such materials in advance for major international leaders or world-class cultural figures who have reached an honorable age.

The British press prepared such material before the death of Queen Elizabeth II and probably already has for King Charles, given the advanced age at which he ascended the throne. As for major American publications, they have already, most likely, written such articles for most of the current US presidents (Jimmy Carter – 99, Bill Clinton, George Bush and Donald Trump – all 77).

Former President Barack Obama is 62 years old.

Kaufman’s name was also mentioned in the NYT obituary for Osama bin Laden after he was killed by US special forces in 2011, as well as Kenneth Kaunda, the former president of Zambia who died in 2021.

In an article published in 2017, the NYT explained how rare these “beyond the grave” references are.

As for the former US Secretary of State, his full name is Heinz Alfred Kissinger, he was born in the city of Fürth in Bavaria on May 27, 1923. As an Orthodox Jew, he was persecuted by anti-Semites, and in 1938 his family joined the escape from Nazi Germany, moving to New York. He became a naturalized American citizen in 1943.

The Henry Kissinger Center for Global Affairs, an organization founded by the former US diplomat, announced Thursday that he has died at the age of 100.

He outlived both US presidents under whom he served, Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford, who died in 1994 and 2006 respectively.

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