Willpower is fascinating! Maybe pride before his brothers kept him going. Great news that he is riding more and wants to do another century! He has a lot of grit, that's for sure.
I hope his increased riding will inspire him to quit smoking. I quit smoking 23 years ago with the help of a program called "Smoke Enders", after many unsuccessful attempts alone. There are medications now to make it easier. It is EXTREMELY DIFFICULT to quit. If he tries he will need a lot of support.
I'll watch this thread to see if anyone posts a flat century in NJ next year; maybe there will be a 1/2 century or metric there as well for someone new like me. Something to think about during the winter.