By Fidelis Sukina – EM TV Sports, Port Moresby
Tomorrow will mark One year without one of Papua New Guineas rugby league great, whose life was cut short last year (2018) dying at the tender age of 23 years old.
The Family of Kato Ottio has embarked on ensuring his dream comes to fruition – his wish of building his mother a home.
Light stokes of the paint brush and a timid roll of paint, final touches of Canberra raider’s green, a startling reminder of the man who was part of the club and a son who wanted this house built for his mother. As the kitchen and the living room take shape family gather to help finish the work and to admire the house.
A home for his beloved mother was what Kato Ottio had dreamt of accomplishing, but only his mother, close family and siblings are left to witness his dream becoming a reality.
The Kumuls centre died of heat stroke last year on the ninth of January 2018 – tomorrow will mark ONE year without the young talent.
Built over the sea at Tatana Village on stilts it is only accessible by a rickety yet stable board walk. The family have replaced their old house of 13 years; it was at the same location.
The family had to move to their grandparent’s home for the construction to begin.
Kato’s family had lived there for 13 years. With no fly wire the old house had always been tormented by rain and strong wind, a canvas used to block the forces of nature.
Kato’s Mother Joyce wasn’t at home but big sister Marie Ottio was glad to show us the house, which the family had promised to build after tremendous support from the public and his two overseas rugby league clubs Canberra Raiders and Widnes Vikings, who contributed to making Kato Ottio’s dream of building his mum a house, a reality.
Marie says it is painful for the family not having him around to see this but it was good that their mother had taken up the cause to fulfil her sons dream.
The program to begin tomorrow (09 January, 2019) morning with guests, friends and the media invited to witness this occasion.
