Despite the many images of flag-waving Greeks in Athens’ Syntagma Square following the referendum result, there are frequent reminders of the dire financial situation being faced by everyday citizens.
One such example is pensioner Giorgos Chatzifotiadis, 77, who was photographed in tears outside a bank in Thessaloniki after being unable to withdraw his weekly pension of 120 euros at four different ATMs.
The photo quickly spread across the internet – an evocative representation of the despair and uncertainty of the Greek people.
“[I] cannot stand to see my country in this distress,” explained Mr Chatzifotiadis. “That’s why I feel so beaten, more than for my own personal problems.”
But the story of Giorgos, a former coalminer, took a heart-warming turn last week when Sydneysider James Koufos, 41, recognised him as an old family friend, and is now planning to fly to Greece to offer him a helping hand.
“I live a relatively comfortable life here in Sydney – to see someone who has worked hard his entire life and can’t even get a pension to feed his wife and family, that’s not right,” Mr Koufos told Daily Mail Australia.
Speaking to his mother, he was able to confirm that Giorgos went to school with his late father, and thanks to the help of social media, was able to track down his location – the city of Serres, some 80 kilometres from Thessaloniki.
Mr Koufos, a finance CEO, will fly to Greece this weekend to personally deliver the pension payment, and give Giorgos more than twice as much as what he usually receives, as well as supply ongoing financial assistance “for as long as it takes”.
Some of the money will be sourced from the inheritance received by Mr Koufos from his father who passed away recently, saying it’s what his father would want. Since the start of his social media campaign last Monday to find the man in the picture, Mr Koufos has managed to raise “about four or five thousand euros”.
“I’ve been getting a lot of attention over this, but it isn’t about me,” he said.
Source: Daily Mail Australia, news.com.au
