Close Ad

89-Year-Old Responsible for His Entire Family Is Forced to Work - Here’s How One Photo Brought Him $400K
Stranger’s Photo of Elderly Man Selling Ice Cream Helps Him Retire With $400K
Uplifting News

89-Year-Old Responsible for His Entire Family Is Forced to Work - Here’s How One Photo Brought Him $400K

An 89-year-olds life completely changes thanks to the power of kindness.

Many people who work physical jobs (or at gigs they don’t love) dream of one day retiring. Once you reach a certain age and your body no longer does what it used to, physical jobs can be grueling.

Perhaps that’s why one photo of a man in Chicago tugged at so many heartstrings when a random citizen posted it.


Why an 89-Year-Old Man Continued to Work

elderly man wearing a red long sleeve shirt working
Photo by guntur ekaswara

In 2016, an 89-year-old man named Fidencio Sanchez had thought about retirement. But that wasn’t in the cards for the Chicago-based man. He and his wife had recently lost their daughter and needed to take care of their grandchildren. They were having trouble paying the bills and couldn’t even afford to bury their daughter.

So, Sanchez returned to the work he had been doing for decades: pushing a cart and selling ice pops, a.k.a. paletas.

RELATED: Flight Attendant Notices Helpless Elderly Man Struggling To Eat - What She Did Next Brings Him To Tears

“It's really hard working out here in the streets, in the summer and cold winter. Even in bad weather, we still have to go out and sell and the carts get stuck in the streets,” Sanchez told ABC News.

Sanchez was pushing that cart when a good samaritan named Joel Cervantes Macias saw him and was struck by the image. He snapped a photo with his phone. “Everyone [was] walking past him like he wasn’t there,” he later told BuzzFeed.

So Macias pulled over, bought a bunch of paletas from the man, and gave him fifty bucks. Still, he felt like that wasn’t enough.

How Strangers on the Internet Helped an Elderly Man

Once he got home, Macias shared the photo and Sanchez’s story on Facebook. He also created a GoFundMe page to raise $3,000 to give the man a day off work. “He shows what a true man is, and that’s what I admire about him,” Macias revealed to BuzzFeed. Still, he admitted, “It’s shocking how amazing the response was.”

Before Macias knew it, the crowdsourcing page had taken off. In the end, the page not only surpassed the original goal, but people donated nearly $400,000 to the family. And all in 15 days.

RELATED: Cashier Saves Elderly Woman from a $3k Scam - With One Perfect Question

Macias presented Sanchez with the money in September 2016. “I'll never forget this; thank you, everyone, for supporting, and most of all, I would like to thank God," Sanchez said at the time.

As part of the gift, Macias helped find lawyers willing to give Sanchez advice on how to use the money, but Sanchez revealed to BuzzFeed that he also wants to give some to “certain people I see have a need.”

Either way, he said he still plans on working, so here’s hoping some of that pressure to make ends meet is at least gone.

How a Stranger Proved It Takes One Person to Change a Life

an elderly couple hugging and smiling in front of trees
Photo by Tristan Le

So many people walked by Sanchez and didn’t give him a second thought. He wasn’t asking anyone for money, and he didn’t expect anyone to go out of their way to help him. Yet, when one concerned citizen asked the man his story, it opened the eyes of many people who suddenly wanted to help.

It’s a good reminder to stop and assess what’s going on in our own backyards. We never know what a person has been through, but by stopping and asking questions, we may learn more about someone’s situation.

People who could use a hand don’t constantly broadcast it. Still, by paying attention, asking questions, opening our eyes to the people around us, and appreciating what they’ve been through, we could probably all find ways to help one another in plenty of small and big ways.

KEEP READING:

Family Notices Lonely Elderly Man Eating Alone - What They Do Next Inspired an Entire Restaurant

Hot Stories

Why Paul Walker Left His Only Daughter With Vin Diesel

Vin Diesel & Paul Walker were more than just friends, they were …

content.jwplatform.com

When the tragic news of Paul Walker's death surfaced, the world was left in shock. As one of the most beloved stars of the Fast and Furious franchise, his passing was felt deeply by fans around the globe. But perhaps the most devastating impact was felt by his daughter, Meadow Walker, who was left without a father.

Keep ReadingShow less
Life Stories
dave chappelle and wife elaine

Dave Chappelle may be one of the most popular comedians in the world, but to his wife Elaine, he's just Dave.

Chappelle had his big break with his Comedy Central Show Chappelle Show which ran from 2003 to 2005. The show was enormously popular and put Chappelle on the map. Chappelle’s Show was scheduled to have a third season after the success of the first two seasons but that never happened.

Keep ReadingShow less
Celebrities
41 Daughter Quotes That Will Touch and Melt Your Heart
daughter quotes

Having a daughter is undoubtedly a blessing. However, raising a girl with high self-esteem can be quite challenging. Between social media's filtered reality of perfect women and society's shifting expectations, parents face the daunting task of nurturing authentic self-worth in their daughters.

These carefully selected daughter quotes help provide a starting point. They're simple reminders that whatever accomplishments you may have to date, raising a daughter is probably your biggest one.

Keep ReadingShow less
Family