Nominator

Rosalia

Essay

My father, Antony Mannino, is my hero. He just turned 74 years old yesterday and continues to prove to me and everyone who knows him, that living a healthy and active lifestyle not only improves your mental and physical well-being but your ability to stay young at heart. Nearly every morning, my father wakes up around 5:30 am and heads to a local gym where he enjoys swimming, jogging and strength training. When he returns he eats a healthy meal of eggs and toast, or if it was a particularly invigorating workout, dinner from the night before. An immigrant of Sicily and self-employed construction worker, he spends his free time maintaining his rental properties, stuccoing our family home (true story), growing fresh fruits and vegetables in his garden, and his ultimate love - playing tennis. His diet is as Mediterranean as they come, featuring large amounts of garlic, anything leafy green, and of course, red wine. He does not smoke and truly cares about what he puts into his body. He is the most hard-working, optimistic and healthy individual I know, and I am grateful for the lifestyle he leads because it guarantees me more days with my father.

He is a great example of how getting older means getting better.