‘Ottawa’ Ottawa Handyman Finds Gold Nugget in His Front Yard
Larry Mantha struck gold — literally — last week, and he didn’t need any fancy equipment, nor did he have to walk very far to find it.
The Little Italy handyman is still dumbfounded by the chance discovery of a 20.4-gram lump of pure gold buried in his front yard. He has been living on Eccles Street for nearly two years and it probably has been right under his nose the whole time.
The animated Mantha, who turns 62 on Friday, doesn’t mince words when he expresses his amazement at the rare find.
“I never in my f—ing life expect to find gold,” he said Monday outside his home, wearing cowboy boots and an unbuttoned leather vest over his shirt.
“If I go to any bar and I told my story, everybody’s going to laugh at me. I don’t blame them. I will laugh, too.”