80-year-old man goes viral for calmly sitting through dust devil in Brazil

An 80-year-old man has gone viral on social media after a video showed him sitting calmly in a chair beneath a tree as a dust devil swirled around him outside his home in Picos, in Brazil’s northeastern state of Piauí.

José Borges, known as Zezé, remained seated as strong winds lifted sand and dust around him. Afterward, he reportedly told relatives that he had decided not to stand up because he feared the wind might carry him away.

The video was recorded on October 11 by his nephew, dentist Diobson Gonçalves, and has surpassed one million views. According to Zezé’s stepdaughter, artisan Isabel Feitosa, he often sits beneath the tree after lunch to enjoy the breeze and observe the scenery during hot weather.

That day, however, the gentle breeze he was seeking gave way to a dust devil just two minutes after he sat down.

“It was a very hot day, as is usual here, and he went to sit there to get some breeze, but the wind wasn’t quite what he expected,” Feitosa said.

She added that Zezé believed standing up could cause the wind to carry him away, so he covered his nose with his hand and stayed put.

Dust devil damages nearby property

While Zezé remained seated, relatives watched from inside the house, laughing and urging him to move away from the swirling wind.

According to Feitosa, the dust devil was stronger than those usually seen in the area. The gusts were powerful enough to blow the lid off a water tank at a neighboring home.

Once the phenomenon passed, Zezé stood up and took a shower to remove the sand from his body.

His nephew said the recording captured only part of the incident and that he decided to film after noticing the unusual scene.

Experts explain the phenomenon and warn of risks

Meteorologist Sônia Feitosa, from Piauí’s Secretariat for the Environment and Water Resources, explained that a dust devil forms when rotating air moves across the ground, lifting dust, sand, leaves and other loose material.

The phenomenon is common during dry periods, when rainfall is limited and loose dust is more readily available on the ground.

Werton Costa, director of prevention and mitigation at Piauí’s Civil Defense agency, said exposed soil and abundant dust contributed to the effect seen in the video.

Although dust devils are relatively common, Costa warned that they can carry particles and debris capable of causing injuries, particularly to the eyes. Older adults may also have greater difficulty moving away quickly when conditions become dangerous.