Meet Daniel, a young boy who is determined to pull himself out of poverty. After his father passed away in 2013, his mother became the family’s sole provider. Even though she couldn’t afford to give him lunch money, Daniel still insisted on going to school. Afterward, he did his homework on the street by the light of a nearby McDonald’s window. His story inspired many around the world after it was shared on social media in 2015.
Espinosa worked as a grocery store worker, earning a meager wage. The family had no choice but to move to Espinosa’s workplace after their home burned down several years ago. Daniel and his siblings had to take turns sleeping on wooden benches inside the tiny shack.
Daniel’s mother worked hard as a grocery store and a domestic helper washing laundry to make a living. Every night, Daniel would spend his time doing homework on a makeshift wooden desk on the street. The dim light coming out of a nearby McDonald’s window allowed Daniel to continue studying through the evening.
And to make matters worse, Daniel also had to watch out for bullies who might try to take his things while he was at school. He already had one of his pencils snatched away, and he only had one left. Young Daniel carried a rosary in his bag in order to keep the bullies away, hoping for divine protection.
After class, while the other boys were off to play football, Daniel tended to his homework on the street. Little did he know his fortune was about to change for the better.
While working at his desk one day in 2015, Daniel, then 9, was spotted by Joyce Torrefranca, a medical student at Cebu Doctors’ University, who took several pictures of him with her phone.
Taking to social media, Joyce posted the pictures online along with her comments expressing how “inspired” she was by the boy’s dedication. Little did she realize how her photos would go viral and change the fortune of young Daniel.
“I didn’t think that a simple photo can make a huge difference,” Joyce posted. “Thank you guys for sharing the photo. With that, we were able to help Daniel in reaching his dreams.”
Joyce’s post quickly spread around the world, while her photos were reposted over 9,700 times … and it only took off from there.
Another netizen, Giome Probert Landra Alayon (who was also in the medical technology field), chatted with Daniel on the street and shared the boy’s story online in admiration.
“He perseveres because he knows how it feels to have nothing. We should learn from him,” Alayon wrote. “Life’s greatest lessons come not from famous personalities but from simple people. Keep your eyes and mind open.”
“With that discipline and focus, I’m sure he will become someone someday!” he continued.
Daniel’s story soon garnered mass media attention and spread around the world. Reporters came to speak with Daniel on the street. He and his mother were even brought into the studio for an interview. When reporters spoke to his mother, she praised her son’s diligence:
Joyce was gratified upon seeing all of this come together. “Thank you guys,” she posted in reply.
“We’re overjoyed,” said Espinosa. “I don’t know what I will do with all of these blessings.”
The city of Mandaue’s social welfare office chief Violeta Cavada expressed her view that Daniel “has become a symbol of poor slum boys in the city who can’t study because they don’t have electricity.”
Daniel’s situation is one that many families now face in the Philippines. Although the country’s economy is developing, much of the city areas consist of large slums; and a quarter of the population live on less than a dollar a day.
Daniel’s is a story of hard work, inspiration, and hope. When caring people take notice of good souls like Daniel, sometimes that hope can truly lead to a brighter future.
