Some stories make a special place in your heart, and one such story is of Babu Lohar, a 75-year-old man from Odisha. He has been winning hearts after travelling 300 kilometres by rickshaw to ensure his paralysed wife received life-saving medical treatment. Babu Lohar’s story has been making headlines, and he has been receiving immense love from people across the country. (Photo credit: Instagram)
Babu Lohar, a resident of Modipada in Sambalpur, took some unimaginable steps to help his 70-year-old wife, Jyoti, who had suffered a stroke. Doctors in Sambalpur advised that Jyoti required specialised care at the SCB Medical College and Hospital (SCBMCH) in Cuttack.
He wasn’t able to arrange money for the treatment but refused to surrender to the circumstances. Determined to get his wife the care she needed, he converted his cycle rickshaw into a temporary ambulance and then took his wife for treatment.
His from Sambalpur to Cuttack was for over nine days. Babu pedalled for hours each day and rested at night near roadside shops or wherever shelter was available. Despite his advancing age and the physical strain of the long ride, he managed to reach the hospital, where Jyoti was admitted and underwent nearly two months of treatment.
After her discharge, the couple began their return journey on January 19. Following medical treatment, Lohar remained resolute about continuing the journey home. “We have no one else. We only have each other,” he said, as he prepared to resume the final stretch back to Sambalpur.
The incident moved the medical staff at the health centre. Dr Vikas, who attended to the couple after the accident, went beyond providing treatment and extended financial assistance to help them complete their journey. Lohar’s determination and devotion to his wife have since earned widespread respect and admiration across the region.
