Footscray man Rocco Cera, left, received a birthday kiss from son Antonio when he turned 101 last week. 70974 Picture: DAMJAN JANEVSKI
By Charlene Gatt
FOOTSCRAY man Rocco Crea celebrated his 101st birthday at Footscray’s Western Hospital last Friday after a fall landed him in a hospital bed.
The fiercely independent man was knocked for six last week after he tripped and fell while working in his garden.
Mr Crea, who did not have his emergency button on him at the time, couldn’t move until he was found by a neighbour more than 22 hours later.
The neighbour called the ambulance and Mr Crea was taken to Western Hospital on Saturday night, where he was recovering from rhabdomyolysis (muscle wastage) on his birthday.
“Today (I’m feeling) not bad, better than yesterday,” he told Star.
Hospital staff made him feel welcome with a birthday cake on the day.
Nurse Ali said Mr Crea was the oldest patient she has had in her ward.
“He’s disappointed in himself now,” she said.
Mr Crea was born in the village of Palmi, Italy.
He met his wife, Rocchina, at a neighbouring farm. The pair married in 1939 and migrated to Australia in 1952, where Mr Crea worked in the building and maintenance industry.
Mr Crea and his wife had five children, and the family has since grown to include 10 grandchildren and 21 great grandchildren.
His wife passed away three years ago.
Mr Crea’s oldest son Antonio, 66, said his dad was a passionate Western Bulldogs supporter.
He was expected to be discharged over the weekend. The Crea family planned to celebrate Rocco’s birthday with a big party.
