How long can a person live alone, or more accurately, how long can someone live without talking to a loved one? It may be hard to believe, but one person did just that—spending over three decades on a deserted island.
Yes, Mayo Morandi, an Italian man, lived alone on an island in the Mediterranean for more than 30 years before returning to human society three years ago. On January 7, 2025, Mayo Morandi passed away. He was famously referred to as “Robinson Crusoe” by local media, living as the sole inhabitant of Budelli Island, located near Sardinia, Italy.
Mayo was proud of his life of solitude. His reason for choosing this isolated life came after failing to complete a journey. In 1989, his wooden boat sank during a voyage to Polynesia, and afterward, he decided to escape society. He took on the role of a caretaker for the island, as the previous warden had retired.
He lived in a small house on the island made from coral and other sea materials. Over the next 32 years, Mayo maintained the island, keeping the beaches clean and sharing details about the island’s environment with visitors. His food supply was brought in from a nearby island, and he even installed a temporary solar power system to keep his house warm.
In 2021, the Italian authorities evicted him when the island was designated as a nature park. After his eviction, he was relocated to a one-room apartment in La Maddalena, a national park. In an interview after being moved, Mayo Morandi said, “I am a living proof that anyone can start a new life at any age, even over the age of 80.”
