In 1989, a man set out on the ocean in his catamaran, but the engine failed and he had to make his way to the small island of Budelli. When he arrived, Mauro Morandi decided to quit his job as a P.E. teacher and stay there as the caretaker, since the old one was ready to retire. Mauro has lived on the island alone for 32 years, but after a five-year fight by the Italian government to evict him, the 81-year-old says he’s “giving up the fight” and leaving.
Imagine living on your own for 32 years, then being booted out! The Italian government made the island part of a national park in 2016 and has been trying to evict him ever since. During his time on the island, he’s kept the paths cleared, gotten to know the wildlife, and brought over a thousand tourists a year to the island.
Why not let him stay? The park service says there are "legal" problems like with the World War II shelter he’s been using as a home along with his age. Mauro says he’ll be moving to a small apartment on the nearby La Maddalena Island. He’ll be living on the outskirts of town with a view of the ocean, and says he plans to “keep himself to himself.”
Source: Daily Mail