Kumul star laid to rest

By MELTON PAIS
Family and friends of rugby league star Kato Ottio farewelled him yesterday at his mother’s Tatana village in the last formal act of mourning following his death on Jan 9.
After sharing their grief with the entire nation and some parts of the world for eight days, Ottio’s family, Motu-Koitabu people, Hunters players and management staff and friends and fans paid their last respect at Tatana United Church.
The burial service started at around 10am and lasted two hours, and the young rugby league hero was buried at midday in a tomb close to the church.
Mother Joyce, elder brother Ahulo and sister Marie could not accept the fact that the man who made the Ottio name famous was finally laid to rest.
They were escorted to their family home after the casket was lowered down to its final resting place.
Since his death tributes have poured in from across the rugby league world with Kumuls and Canberra Raiders teammates recalling how Ottio, 23, had inspired them in the sport.
Among those clubs was Widnes Vikings in the Super League that signed up Kato after the 2017 World Cup together with Wellington Albert. But when news of his untimely passing reached them, they shared great sorrow with the PNG family.
Born in Port Moresby to a Koiari father and Tatana-Bougainville mother in 1994, Kato spent 14 years with his parents and his two siblings but when his father passed away, he has been with his mother until his passing early this month.
Kato was said to be the only PNG athlete to represent the country in three different sporting codes.
He was part of the junior AFL programme representing the Highlands in 2010 to have played a selection trial for the Binatangs team to Australia.
He was also part of the national volleyball team who won gold in the Pacific Mini Games in Walis and Futuna in 2013.
But his Ottio’s biggest achievement was in rugby league in which in played for the PNG Hunters and Kumuls then joined the Canberra Raiders feeder club Mounties in 2016.
This year he was gearing up to set a new milestone in England with the Vikings but his life was cut short after he died from severe heatstroke on Tuesday, Jan 9