Elderly street hawker's photo prompts strangers to donate over Rs. 1.17 crores

People online were so moved by the plight of an 89-year-old man struggling to make a living on the street that they ended up donating over $176,000 (Rs 1.17 crores) to him. The old man, trying to drive his popsicle cart through the Little Village in Chicago, was clicked by Joel Cervantes Macias when Macias purchased 20 popsicles from him.

The photo instantly went viral after Macias posted it on Facebook and touched the hearts of many people. Reportedly, the cart-puller named Fedencio Sanchez began selling popsicles after he and his wife lost their only daughter. Moreover, his wife had fallen sick and was unable to sell ice-creams to help her husband.

(Credit: GoFundMe)

Macias and his friend Joe Loera decided to help the elderly couple by starting a GoFundMe page for them. Although their initial goal was to raise $3,000 in two days, the campaign soon collected around $176,000.