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Isolated since 1989 on the island of Budelli, between Sardinia and Corsica, the Italian Mauro Morandi has become a symbol of simplicity, contemplation, and harmony with nature.
When the world faced the pandemic and isolation became a global reality, Mauro Morandi had already been living in solitude for a long time on an island in Italy. For him, confinement was nothing new. Since 1989, the Italian had chosen to live away from society, surrounded only by the sea and nature.
The story began unexpectedly. The engine of the boat carrying Morandi broke down, and the anchor also failed, leaving him adrift until he reached the coast of Budelli Island, located between Sardinia and Corsica.
Upon arriving, he discovered that the caretaker of the place was retiring.
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Without hesitation, he sold the boat and took the job. From that moment on, he began a unique journey, becoming the "Robinson Crusoe" of Italy.
The guardian of a natural jewel.
For 33 years, Mauro Morandi was the sole resident and guardian of Budelli. He cared for the trails, preserved the environment, and welcomed the few visitors with a simple and sincere message: it was necessary to respect the island's fragile ecosystem.
Budelli is part of the La Maddalena Archipelago National Park, known for its unique beauty. The island is home to the famous Pink Beach, whose sand takes on pink hues thanks to tiny particles of coral and shells.
In the 1990s, the Italian government decided to close the site to the public to prevent environmental damage. Thus, from thousands of daily visitors, only one man remained. And this man became a symbol of the harmony between humankind and nature.
A battle for survival
In 2016, after a long legal battle, the court ruled that Budelli officially belonged to the National Park.
As a result, the authorities began to question Morandi's right to continue living there.
The decision sparked public outrage. Thousands of people came out in defense of the guardian, and a petition to keep him on the island gathered more than 18 signatures.
The massive support managed to temporarily postpone its removal, demonstrating how much its presence had become part of the place's identity.
Even under pressure, Morandi maintained his routine and his spiritual connection with Budelli. In April 2021, at the age of 81, he wrote a moving outburst on social media: “I hope to die here, to burn, and for my ashes to be scattered by the wind.”
Philosophy of life and contemplation
Morandi was never a biologist or botanist, but he understood nature in a way that science cannot describe.
His mission was simple, yet profound: to teach people to see the beauty of the world in a sensitive way.
"Not to see, but to feel with your eyes closed," he would say. For him, love and beauty were the same thing. And living in Budelli was the purest way to express that.
During the long winters on the island, he faced extreme isolation. He would spend more than twenty days without seeing anyone, immersed in a routine of reading, sculpting, and reflection.
She read Greek philosophers, meditated by the sea, and watched the sunrise and sunset change the scenery around her.
A silence chosen by the lonely man.
Morandi used to say that his life was a prison, but a prison of his own choosing. A prison full of wind, sea, light, and silence.
While many sought to escape loneliness, he embraced it. He found meaning in the repeating of the waves, the birdsong, and the uninterrupted cycle of nature.
For him, this direct contact with the environment was a form of freedom that the modern world had forgotten.
A symbol of resilience and simplicity.
Over the years, Mauro Morandi's story gained worldwide attention. Photos of his small house and the idyllic scenery of Budelli went viral on the internet.
He, who never sought fame, ended up becoming a symbol of a philosophy of life based on simplicity and respect for the planet.
His isolation inspired people in many countries, especially during the pandemic, when the world rediscovered the value of calm, time, and introspection.
Even faced with uncertainty about his future on the island, Morandi remained true to his choice. Living away from society was not an escape, but a way to get closer to what is essential — the sound of the sea, the gentle breeze, and the silent contemplation of beauty.
The man who became part of the island.
For more than three decades, Mauro Morandi and Budelli were practically one and the same. He cared for the place as if protecting a part of himself.
And although time has transformed the island and the world around it, its story remains as a reminder that true peace may not be found in cities, but in the encounter between man and nature—an encounter he lived intensely until the end.
With information from koha.
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