He passed the century mark with the smile and wit that always distinguished him. Ottavio Ortu, the grandfather from Porto Torres, has turned 101, and is preparing to celebrate with the embrace of the entire community.
With his usual simplicity, he recounts his past: thirty years of life dedicated to working in the Nurra countryside, cultivating the land, and then the decision to take a different path: working in the port of the Turritano maritime port during the golden age of the petrochemical industry, at the height of the industrial boom.
Ottavio Ortu spent his childhood on Via Libio, in the city center, before moving to the historic district of Monte Agellu where he raised his family: nine children, eight of whom are living, and about thirty grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
"I was born in Porto Torres, a city I loved and still love for its beauty and the many opportunities it offered me and the many Sardinians who worked in the industrial area," he said enthusiastically. "Today the situation has changed greatly," he added, "few ships in port and factories closed."
A long-time widower, he has always surrounded himself with the affection of his loved ones, the same ones who have never failed to show him love and recognition for the many sacrifices he made throughout his long life. The mayor of Porto Torres, Massimo Mulas, also offered him his best wishes.
