Kerala: Street Singer, Hit by COVID-19 Distress, Willing To Sell His Kidney and Liver in Thiruvananthapuram

Thiruvananthapuram, July 14:  Fifty-nine-year-old Ronald is a street singer in the state capital city here. The COVID-19 pandemic has taken the sheen out of his otherwise struggling life and to eke out his future course for himself and his ailing nephew, he has decided to sell his kidney/liver.

This is what the advertisement on his two-wheeler reads.  COVID-19 Stress Increased Suicidal Thoughts: Study

Speaking to IANS, Ronald said he is presently living out of his scooter which has been converted into his makeshift hoome. To compound his already sad tale, he is also paralysed hip-down and has a problem using one of his hands.

“This vehicle is my home as well, as I have no home to go and hence sleep on it also. Before the pandemic, I used to make about Rs 700 by singing. But things changed for the worse after COVID-19 struck, I have no income at all,” said Ronald.

He hails from a coastal village and five years back his wife passed away.

“My daughter went with a Tamil person and my only son is in jail. My brother’s son is in urgent need for renal transplant and since mine is not compatible, I have decided to sell my kidney/liver in exchange.

“I have been making rounds of hospitals here, but have not been able to locate any agent. So I decided to advertise it on my vehicle,” added Ronald.

He said hunger is his biggest problem and during the lockdown period he had to wait near a construction site and after the workers used to throw away their packets after eating, he would eat the leftover from those packets, without anyone noticing.

“With the money I will raise by selling my kidney/liver, I want to move into a small home and also see how I can get my son out from the jail besides helping my nephew as well,” added Ronald.

He was able to buy a mobile phone after he got some money from a wellwisher who heard his tale.

“Without a mobile, nothing is possible and hence I paid Rs 1,300 for a mobile phone after a person gave Rs 2,000,” said Ronald and is now waiting for a ‘buyer’, so his life can move on.

(The above story first appeared on Today News 24 on Jul 14, 2021 01:21 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website todaynews24.top).