He would insist on going to school even without his lunch money.
via Facebook
Last month, a college student walking the streets of Manila saw nine-year-old Daniel Cabrera sitting on a wooden stool and studying beneath the dim, yellow light of a McDonalds sign. The student took a photo, posted it to Facebook, and it quickly became a viral sensation in the Philippines. Both heart-wrenching and uplifting, the photograph taken by Joyce Torrefranca was captioned, “I got inspired by a kid.” The photo was shared 7,000 times before being covered by a local television station.
Once the photograph went viral, donations of a college scholarship, reading lamp, cash, and school supplies poured in. Cabrera wants to use the scholarship to help reach his dream of becoming a policeman. “Now, Daniel will not have to suffer just to finish his studies,” his mother, Christina Espinosa, said. “He is a very studious and determined boy... He would insist on going to school even without his lunch money because I have no money to give. He always tells me: ‘Mama, I don't want to stay poor. I want to reach my dreams’.”
Cabrera’s dedication to his education comes from a life that, until now, has been marked by tragedy. His father died in 2013 due to severe diarrhea and five years ago, his mother’s shanty home burned down. Cabrera and his three siblings have been living in the back of a grocery store where his mother works making just 80 pesos ($1.77) a day. But, for now, things are starting to look up for the young, dedicated boy. “We're overjoyed. I don't know what I will do with all of these blessings,” Espinosa said.
(H / T Business Insider)
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