A recent historical story has been circulating online again, about a man named Roque José Florêncio, nicknamed Pata Seca, a slave who lived in São Paulo, Brazil, in the 19th century. This guy was 2.18 meters tall, chosen by his slave owner specifically for breeding. It is said that he fathered between 200 and 300 children in his lifetime; the number sounds a bit unbelievable, but that’s what was recorded at the time.

The most incredible part is the story that came afterward. After slavery was abolished, Pata Seca acquired a piece of land, married, and had 9 children. Some records say he lived to 130 years old, and thousands of people attended his funeral. Now, locals in São Paulo say that one-third of the city’s population are descendants of Pata Seca. From being used as a reproductive tool to owning land and a family, and then becoming a collective memory of a city, Roque José Florêncio’s life story truly exceeds imagination. Those attending his funeral probably all know that their bloodlines carry the story of this man.