Tutu celebrates his 78th birthday with staff – 7 October 2009

Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu celebrated his 78th birthday – on the eve of the actual day – with his staff at his office in Milnerton, Cape Town, today. Tutu, who was in a jolly mood, blew out all the candles on his cake and reminisced about his life. Asked whether it was easy to grow old gracefully or whether he found himself raging against the aging process, he responded with his infectious laugh.

Tutu also told a story of how, as a young baby, he had polio, and then TB as a teenager. He thought he was going to die then. Years later, he was struck with cancer too. But he survived. Apart from these brushes with death, the Arch said his only regret in life is that he didn’t become a doctor.

“I can really say that all of my life has been a bonus. And when you look at where we’ve come from, and where we are, as individuals, as a family, as a nation, isn’t it just wonderful?”

*HD footage and photos available