Luisetta Mercalli, born in Carloforte on February 15, 1915 , and currently living in Cagliari, has turned 111. She is the longest-lived woman in Sardinia and the sixth longest-lived woman in Italy. Her birthday was celebrated at a nursing home in Su Planu, where she has lived since 2015, along with her daughters Myriam and Angela Quaquero, her granddaughters, and the facility's staff.
This morning's celebration was also attended by the President of the Cagliari City Council, Marco Benucci, who brought a bouquet of flowers and a parchment on behalf of Mayor Massimo Zedda and the administration.
"We're here for a rare milestone, one that belongs to the entire community," Benucci said. "Luisetta represents a precious memory, and we're happy to celebrate her."
A music teacher with a passion for singing and theater, Luisetta remained independent until she was one hundred, continuing to attend Cagliari's theater seasons. In 1951, the year she moved to the island's capital, she married Luigi Quaquero, an artillery officer she met during a performance at the Teatro Massimo.
During her life, Luisetta lived through two world wars and remembers her father who left for the front in 1915. During the bombings of 1943, he returned to Carloforte from the evacuation site to help the wounded.
At 111 years old, Luisetta is considered a loving and discreet point of reference for those who know her and care for her every day.
(Unioneonline)
