Devoted Grandfather Sells Home and Lives in Rickshaw So His Granddaughter Can Go to School

An aged man was given no choice but to cater to his two daughters-in-law and grandkids after his sons passed on under tragic circumstances. Luckily for him, his story was shared on the internet, and his life changed forever.

Unscrupulous elements may have used social media to do a lot of harm, but there is no doubt that it has also had a far-reaching positive effect; ask Desraj Ji, a rickshaw driver in Bombay, India.

He had to sell his home to afford to send his granddaughter to school, but when his story got featured on "Humans of Bombay," what happened after changed his life forever. According to the older man, his two sons had passed on, leaving him responsible for catering to their widows and grandkids.

His first child had been 40 years old when his body was discovered a week after he went missing. According to Desraj, he left for work but never returned, and the tragedy drove a spike into the father's heart.

Indeed, Desraj admitted that a part of him died with his son that day, but he was barely given time to grieve as there were many things to do, including making a living with his rickshaw. Then, two years later, tragedy struck again when Desraj's second son chose to take his own life.

When that happened, the rickshaw driver's granddaughter offered to quit school so she could help lessen the family's financial burdens, but he wouldn't hear of it.

Despite all that had happened, he wanted her to finish her education, so he worked long hours, leaving home at the crack of dawn and working till midnight before returning home.

Despite all his efforts, the family still struggled, but the man never gave up. When the time came for his granddaughter to get higher education, Desraj, who knew he wouldn't be able to afford it as a rickshaw driver, chose to sell his house. He said:

"But I had to fulfill her dreams… at any cost. So, I sold our house and paid her fee. Then, I sent my wife, daughter-in-law, and other grandkids to our relatives' home in our village, while I continued staying in Mumbai without a roof."

The man slept in his automobile every night, but he stated that his sacrifice was worth it if it meant his granddaughter could achieve her dreams. He said at the time:

"I can't wait for her to become a teacher, so that I can hug her and say, 'You've made me so proud.' She's going to be the first graduate in our family."

After his story was shared on social media, netizens decided to pool money together to donate to his family, touched by his selflessness.

A Facebook user named Gunjan Ratti started a fundraiser for Desraj. By the time the dust settled, a total of ₹ 24 lakh (about $31,000) had been contributed; yet another proof that humanity still exists thrives in the hearts of men.