The celebrations stretched across two days, beginning on his actual birthday of Thursday, September 25 when he opened the doors of his Williamstown home to the many family members keen to celebrate with him.
To make the event even more special, Antonio received congratulatory letters from King Charles III and Queen Camilla, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, the Governor of Victoria Margaret Gardner and Melissa Horne, parliamentary representative for Williamstown.
The festivities continued with a massive lunch on the Sunday, made memorable by the presence of his four children, numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and their respective families. His daughter-in-law, Gina Napoli, said Antonio was ecstatic, almost like he was a kid again.
Antonio Napoli surrounded by his loving family to celebrate his 100th birthday
Antonio’s migration story began in 1951, when he left his hometown of Sitizano in the province of Reggio Calabria. At 27 years old, he made the journey alone, leaving behind his wife and children in Italy with the hope of building a better future overseas and reuniting with them as soon as possible.
Upon arriving in Australia, he found work at Thompson Engineering and Pipes in Williamstown. Three years later, he moved to the rural town of Gunbower, near Echuca, and finally managed to bring his wife and two children over from Italy.
Like many Italian families of the era, they built a life around tobacco farming. Tragically, their world was shaken when their only daughter at the time, at just seven years old, was struck and killed by a car outside her school.
The Napoli family continued working in tobacco for 14 years, but with the decline in consumption, they, like many others, sold their property and moved to Williamstown, where Antonio still lives today.
Gina shared that the children are now planning to take their father back to Echuca for a short holiday to revisit the places where he and his family spent so many years.
When asked what the secret is to reaching 100, Antonio replied that living a simple life, surrounded by the love of family, has always been his recipe for longevity.
