By Pam
Just before Christmas an Italian man known only as Antonio C found out his wife of 77 years had an affair back in the 1940’s. Antonio is 99 years young and upon learning of this affair immediately confronted his 96 year old wife, Rosa, and then filed for a divorce, the London’s Daily Telegraph reported.
According to court documents, Rosa had exchanged love letters with the “other” man in her life and had kept them in an old chest of drawers all these years. Antonio was going through the chest and found them. Rosa admitted to the affair but could not talk her husband into forgiving her.
They will become the world’s oldest divorcees. They have five children, a dozen grandchildren and one great-grand child. Apparently their marriage had suffered a rocky patch over 10 years ago when Antonio moved out of their home to live with a son. He did return a few weeks later.
I am not sure if at the age of 99 I could become that angry of an affair that my spouse had over 70 years ago. How about you?
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MsGoody2Shoes says
January 1, 2012 at 5:16 pmWhen I heard about it the other day I was astonished. The man sounds like 90 something a-hole. I say this because I read he was sometimes cantakerous and had left his wife before for something trivial. Adultery is not trivial, but his wife’s indiscretion was over 60 yewrs ago!
Ann@IW says
January 1, 2012 at 8:38 pmOMG that’s nuts.
I’d be hurt and angry too, even after 70 years, but divorce? Why bother? Just move across the hall!
Deborah says
January 2, 2012 at 12:27 pmOh my, I feel for this family. Antonio might be old but that macho pride is still young. I do hope they can work it out before they leave this world. Who knows, it might bring Rosa the most peace she’s had in all these years to be rid of him.
I’m thinking she should have ditched those letters years ago. Maybe on some level she wanted him to know she strayed and then she just forgot about them.
I do have hope this story will have a happy ending for Antonio & Rosa.
CoCoPuff says
January 2, 2012 at 4:20 pmOh my , How sad but funny.
My husband and I met this older couple while we were celebrating our 22 wedding anniversary.
They were calling us newlyweds ~ they were married over 6o years and they told us the first 40 are the hardest ~LOL
Lily@IW says
January 2, 2012 at 6:17 pmOh good grief. You’ve got to be kidding.
Who knows, it might bring Rosa the most peace she’s had in all these years to be rid of him.
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Deborah, I am wondering if you are right. I think you might be.
Maybe I’m looking at this wrong, but I kind of generally expect that w/age, comes perspective and wisdom. This seems so silly. At 99, I’m thinking I would be happy just to see my eyes open everyday. I agree Ann, just move across the hall.
You're Better off w/o her Antonio says
January 3, 2012 at 7:26 amI’m at a loss as to why so many feel as though he is in the wrong. She had an affair, whether it was yesterday or 70 years ago. She violated his trust and the sanctity of their marriage. He is not wrong for feeling betrayed and for realizing that the years they’ve been together were based on a lie. I say best of luck to you Antonio C.
Roozerdo says
January 3, 2012 at 7:38 amWell, I bet next time she won’t keep the love notes. LOL
Pam@IW says
January 3, 2012 at 7:41 amRoozerdro, LOL!
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I would certainly hope not!
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Deborah says
January 3, 2012 at 9:26 amOh come on #6, If I was in my 20’s I would have agreed with you. Now not so much. I wish in my 20’s I wasn’t still holding onto the Cinderella story.
That said I don’t condone cheating and do understand Antonio’s hurt.
Anya@IW says
January 3, 2012 at 5:39 pmMmm, well I have to give a 99 year-old man credit for getting off the couch and filing the papers. I wonder if they have had a good marriage before this? Years ago, one of the retiree’s of my company was talking about divorce with their spouse. They were in their early 80’s at the time and had been married well over 40 years. I was shocked (and amused a bit).
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Fast forward to 2012, they are both still alive in their mid-90’s. They stay married. I get the feeling they bicker a lot, but who doesn’t?! LOL.
me says
April 23, 2012 at 6:33 amI don’t think we should judge him – he has obviously been unhappy with his marriage in the past, and perhaps thought he didn’t have a good enough excuse to leave her. You all need to remember that they have lived over 9 decades!! Who are WE to give advice to someone who has been around so much longer? Would you take advice from a 5 year old? The fact that she kept the letters seems to indicate that she is a provocative women who like to stir up drama.
Trish says
April 23, 2012 at 11:51 amThere were already problems in the marriage according to another article and he finally had the last straw. At one point, he moved into his son’s home or a few weeks and so I gather at least one child understood him if he took his father in when he left his mom. I wouldn’t necessarily laugh at this…maybe this man believed in trying his hardest to make it work and it was the final drop in an overspilling glass. Sometimes we just break. I feel bad for the lady but I wouldn’t necessarily trivialize this. Some of us take decades to get the courage to be ourselves. I wish them both the best.
Redpiller says
March 20, 2018 at 3:46 amHe should check “his” children’s DNA. I’m sure most of them are actually lover’s.