Brahmapur/Nayagada: At 73, when most would struggle to walk with a fractured leg, Sukadev Nayak refused to surrender. Driven by hope and determination, the elderly man from Odisha’s Nayagada district pedalled his tricycle nearly 130 kilometres over three days to reach hospital for treatment, surviving along the way on food offered by strangers.
Sukadev, a resident of Barsahi village under Sarankul police limits in Nayagada district, reached MKCG Medical College and Hospital in Brahmapur after the arduous journey. Hospital authorities admitted him and began treatment.
According to reports, Sukadev was once employed as a village guard at Sarankul Police Station. His life took a tragic turn after the death of his wife, while his only son is also differently abled. Following his retirement, he was left without family support and gradually slipped into poverty.
For past few years, he has been living on the veranda of a market near Sarankul Police Station, surviving on alms. His situation worsened after he suffered a fracture in his left leg. With no financial means and no one to care for him, accessing medical treatment became nearly impossible.
After reaching hospital, Sukadev expressed hope that he would recover soon. “I believe I will walk again. The doctors here are giving me a new lease on life,” he said.
