An amputee single mother hawking bottled water on highways in the Oshodi area of Lagos State, Nigeria elicited love and sympathy from many philanthropic Nigerians.
Mary Daniel, the amputee hawker, drew tears after reading her heartrending encounters with fate in Saturday PUNCH and commended her courage in the face of adversities, rallying support for her so she could have a new lease of life.
The 26-year-old Daniel began to live through a grueling life after losing her parents and her right leg to an accident in December 2006 while they were travelling to their hometown in Kogi State from Katsina State for Yuletide.
She dropped out at Junior Secondary School 3, and took to the streets in Anambra State, selling sachet water to fend for herself and her aged grandmother.
She was impregnated in 2018 by her fiancé who she said denied responsibility for the pregnancy, forcing her to relocate to Delta State out of shame.
The hawker wept as she dished out stories how a good Samaritan seeing her plight donated N500,000 for to continue in her business.
Knowing her fiancé well, she hid the money dumped in her bank account until one day the man discovered, took her ATM card to the bank and emptied the account, left only N2,000 for her and disappeared.
Daniel continued the arduous trade in the oil-rich state even after giving birth. She relocated to Lagos about two weeks ago, hawking bottled water in chaotic traffic and passing the night on the balcony of a building on Suwebatu Street, Oshodi.
After her photos emerged online, she has reportedly been receiving tremendous amount of money in the form of donations and support from people and public figures.
Luckily, the Lagos State Government has taken over the welfare of Mary Daniel, the 26-year-old amputee hawker and single mother.
The Special Adviser to the State Governor on Civic Engagement, Princess Aderemi Adebowale, said in a statement on Tuesday that the state government had provided a temporary shelter for Daniel.
A famous blogger Tunde Ednut revealed via Instagram that caring Nigerians have donated more than NGN14,000,000 to her.
According to Football Fans Tribe, an official Facebook page for football related contents, Super Eagles’ Victor Osimhen who plays for Napoli in the Italian Serie A, has also reached out to the disabled bottle water hawker.
Photo of the transaction slip, Victor Osimhen’s friends and Mary Daniels was posted by Football Fans Tribe.
