As the saying goes, nothing in our world is eternal. While good times come and go, the trials and tribulations may often last longer, putting a toll on our mental and emotional well-being. Life has its share of challenges and unexpected twists and turns, as experienced by one Peruvian man, Don Segundino Castro Mercedes, who was born in Huamachuco, La Libertad, Peru, and is now in his 70s.
Despite his age, Mercedes couldn’t relax or live a carefree life due to a variety of problems. One day, he sat on the pavement in the Balta bazaar in his hometown, weeping his heart out.
Several others who observed him while traveling through the neighborhood were moved by the poor man’s forlorn plight. One of those bystanders approached Mercedes to discover more about his life’s events.
Mercedes started reciting his spine-chilling tale, tears streaming from his eyes and his voice cracking. In January 2020, he lost the love of his life—his wife. He had already experienced another heartbreaking loss when one of his kids died. Mercedes was plagued with pain and anguish, and he struggled to accept the loss of his loved ones.
The inconsolable man confessed that he had six more kids who made his life unpleasant with their demands. When asked what they did, Mercedes said that his children urged him to divide his fortune among them, without once expressing compassion for what he had gone through. Despite being the most exposed to the lethal infection, Mercedes was obliged to work selling chicken eggs on the street every day, putting his health and safety at risk to support his family and meet his children’s expectations.
In August 2020, a video of a tearful Mercedes sitting on the pavement telling his tale was published on Facebook. The viral video has 1.5k responses, 270k views, and over 390 comments as of March 6, 2022. Several commentators sympathized with the bereaved dad, condemning his children’s treatment of him. Mercedes worried his kids would kick him out of the home he and his wife had constructed with unending labor and care. Mercedes was directed to the CEM Huamachuco for legal aid.