George Kotopoulis, owner of a fish shop, and his neighbour Prodromos Paterellis both work at the beginning Ermou Street in Mitilini.
A few days ago they came together to show solidarity and humanity to their homeless and disabled neighbour, Kostas, demonstrating a moving lesson about the need to support one another.
Kostas is a 70-year-old homeless man from Mitilini who, in 2021, lost both of his legs from the pelvis down due to a serious health complication.
He lives in the shadow of the entrance to the closed historic café “Panellinion” and moves around in an old manual wheelchair for his basic needs, which are covered by the solidarity shown to him by passers-by.
George Kotopoulis and Prodromos Paterellis purchased and gifted Kostas a new, modern, automatic, lever-operated wheelchair so that he could move around as comfortably as possible.
“I saw him every day across from my shop,” Kotopoulis told AMNA.
“He’s been here for three months. We talk and I see how hard his daily life is. His hands are tied.”
The two neighbours talked it over and bought the wheelchair.
“His joy was indescribable. And that alone was enough for us to breathe like humans,” Paterellis said.
Kostas, now with his new wheelchair, maintains his dignity.
Every day he goes “to Blokia to bathe.”
Twice a week someone takes him in so he can take care of himself as best he can, but at night he is “a handful of a man” on the sidewalk in front of the Panellinion café.
“But wherever he is, the rains will start. And it’s a shame that he lives on the street. The solidarity of his neighbours is not enough,” say those who stand by him.
As much as they can.
