100 LOTTO TICKETS STOLEN FROM BLIND OLD MAN — TEARS FALL IN THE CITY CENTRE

Mang Hernando, 58 years old, can barely see due to a long-standing cataract. He was a construction helper, but after falling from a building, his eyesight completely failed. Since then, his only livelihood has been selling lotto tickets on the streets of Quezon City. With the meager income, he feeds himself and his grandson—a nine-year-old boy in the third grade—the son of his only child who died in a road accident.

Every day, since dawn, he carries a cane and a bag of tickets slung over his shoulder. He is well-known among the people around him—a quiet, hardworking, and humble man.

One afternoon, the sun is blazing, the temperature is almost 38°C. Mang Hernando is sweating profusely as he peddles. When his goods were about to run out, a young man in a suit and shiny shoes approached.

– “Dad, please buy ten tickets.” – he said, with a smile.

Joy enveloped Mang Hernando. He immediately took out a thick bundle of tickets. But in just a few seconds, the young man quickly exchanged the entire bundle of real tickets for the neatly cut paper he was carrying. Mang Hernando did not notice that, still busy counting the money handed over. When the young man walked away, he only then touched it and noticed—all the tickets he was holding were fake.

His cane fell, he was stunned in the middle of the road, and tears flowed. One hundred tickets were gone, meaning he no longer had money to pay the agent, and he also had nothing to buy his grandson’s school supplies.

The Revealing of the Truth

But suddenly some young people having coffee at the cafe across the street saw him. They noticed the speed of the young man’s movements and the fear on his face. They immediately stopped him.

– “Hey! You stole from a blind man?” – one shouted.

The young man firmly refused:

– “It’s not true! I’m holding this legit, it’s mine!”

But when the people opened the bundle he was carrying, the worthless papers were revealed. A businessman with an appliance store next to the road helped and immediately took the CCTV footage. The scene was clearly visible: Mang Hernando handed him the bundle of tickets, and he quickly exchanged them for fake ones.

Justice in the Middle of the Street

The people searched for and returned to Mang Hernando his real bundle of lotto tickets. He shook his hand, while his eyes filled with tears.

– “Son… I don’t have anything valuable… except these tickets that my grandson and I are living on. Why did you take them?” – he said trembling.

The young man remained bowed, unable to answer. When the police arrived, he was immediately taken to the mobile patrol. As he was being taken away, Mang Hernando’s voice rang out:
– “If you made a mistake, correct it. Don’t let yourself be guilty for the rest of your life.”

Tears welled up

Everyone around was silent. Some, willingly bought Mang Hernando’s remaining tickets so that he could use them up that day. Others offered a little help.

But what stood out the most was the voice of an old blind man who, even though he had been robbed, robbed of his only means of living, was still able to forgive.

In the middle of the busy city, this simple incident served as a reminder: it is important to be vigilant… but above all, don’t forget to be human, to be considerate, and to be able to forgive