Boy, 10, Lives in a Dump After Stepdad Ruined His Home, Gets a New Own House From Stranger
Living in a house near the dumpster while recycling trash for a living, a 10-year-old dreamed of a better life. It seemed like his circumstances wouldn't improve until a stranger surprised him with a fully-furnished new house.
Never underestimate the power of social media. A TikTok user proved social media can do wonders after he raised money for a poor family he saw while traveling in Paraguay.
The TikTok user Aaron Murphy, who goes by the username "murphslife," is fond of helping people through his social media platform. What he did for this young boy, Enrique, his mother, and seven siblings after watching them struggle for the necessities of life was extraordinary. He restored their faith in God.
Enrique sitting in his house. | Source: tiktok.com/murphslife
The Life-Changing Incident
It was a typical day for Enrique and his siblings when their stepfather did the unthinkable. He burned their house down and left them to live on the streets. Fortunately, Enrique's stepfather was caught by the police, but the damage he had caused was irreparable.
As a result, Enrique's mother took him and his siblings to live near a dumpster. Over there, the family worked together collecting trash and recycling it to earn a few bucks.
Watching their safe space burn to ashes and then moving into a place where they had to struggle for basic things like clean drinking water was nothing short of a nightmare for the family. They were ready to suffer for the rest of their lives, unaware that a kind stranger would soon change their lives forever.
Enrique walks toward his house. | Source: tiktok.com/murphslife
Working Tirelessly for His Family
Enrique did not give up despite being thrown into the worst possible scenario in life. He didn't want his siblings and mother to compromise on their comfort, so he made them a house from trash with his little hands.
The little "Dragon Ball Z" fan caught Murphy's attention when he was building his house near the dumpster. When the TikToker interviewed the family, asking them how they made ends meet, Enrique revealed:
"The money we make recycling, I use it to buy us food."
The Unbearable Living Conditions
Despite living in the city's dumpster, Enrique did not give up or feel ashamed of his circumstances. When Murphy approached him, the little boy welcomed the stranger into his house and showed him the murals he had made of his favorite character, "Goku."
After talking to Enrique and learning about his efforts, Murphy said the boy was "a real superhero, just like Goku." Meanwhile, Enrique's mother revealed how difficult it was for her to raise her children in such horrible living conditions. She said:
"My life is a disaster. I work in the streets."
Enrique's mother talks about her life. | Source: tiktok.com/murphslife
A Call for Help
Murphy met Enrique and his family with a mission in mind―to help them return to their life before the tragedy. He filmed their video and posted it on his TikTok account, requesting people to donate as much as possible.
She felt emotional watching her children play with their first toys, unaware that the kind stranger had another surprise for her.
A week later, Murphy uploaded another video on TikTok, thanking people for donating generously. Through his video appeal, he raised over $31,000 for Enrique's family and bought them a new house. However, neither Enrique nor his family knew what Murphy was doing behind their backs.
A man counts the money sent by donors. | Source: tiktok.com/murphslife
The New House
Within the next 24 hours after buying the property, Murphy's team repainted it and bought new furniture. They set up the entire house and even pasted a customized Dragon Ball Z poster for Enrique in the bedroom with his photo on it.
The family's new house had everything they had dreamt of. Enrique and his siblings had always sponge-bathed, but their new house had a shower. It had bunk beds, a tiny living room, and a dining table where the family could eat dinner.
Once Murphy's team and Enrique's new neighbors helped set up the house, Murphy invited the boy's family for lunch at the new house. At that point, Enrique's mother thought Murphy wanted them to visit his home, unaware of the surprise that awaited her.
Bunk beds in Enrique's new home. | Source: tiktok.com/murphslife
No One Expected This
The TikToker had ordered McDonald's for lunch because he knew Enrique and his siblings wished to have it. He caught their precious smiles on camera as they ate their burgers before showing them their new bedroom.
Enrique's mother broke into tears upon seeing the bedroom and the toys Murphy had bought for her kids. She felt emotional watching her children play with their first toys, unaware that the kind stranger had another surprise for her.
A few moments later, Murphy handed her the property documents, telling her that people worldwide helped him pay for the house. The mother of eight couldn't help but cry like a baby after learning that the house was hers. She said:
"God exists. Yes, he does!"
Enrique's mother cries. | Source: tiktok.com/murphslife
Enrique's family couldn't believe that they didn't have to live near a dumpster anymore. With the donations Murphy collected, Enrique and his siblings were able to go to school like other kids. Besides that, Murphy also set up a small restaurant for Enrique's mother with the donations, hoping it would help her make ends meet.
Kind souls like Murphy restore people's faith in humanity. If it weren't for him, people wouldn't have learned about the family's horrible living conditions, and no one would have stepped up to help them buy a new house. We hope Murphy inspires people to empathize with others and work towards eradicating poverty.
Click here to read another story about a boy who sells his only toy to feed his poor mother and brother.