Thomas Francisco, Sr. is a 68-year-old homeless man from Metro Manila, Philippines. He spends every single day of his life walking around the city, searching for materials that could still be recycled. Come day’s end, he would turn over the recyclable materials to a junkyard in exchange for money.
His sunburned skin, poor physique, and gaunt face are a testament to how challenging his life is. The only thing that keeps Thomas going is his canine friends who join him on his daily adventures.
Riding a cart around the city
Each morning, Thomas would get up and prepare breakfast for him and his four-legged best friends. Once everything’s all set, he would tie them to his cart before going on his daily rounds. He lets the puppies and the senior dogs ride the cart so they won’t get tired from walking.
Whenever people would ask him why he always takes his dogs with him, he replies by saying he has no place to leave them behind. Besides, he enjoys having them around since their presence helps him take his mind off work. He’s also quite protective of them. He wants them with him at all times to make sure none of them gets hurt.
There have been countless times when people would approach him to ask if they could have one of his dogs. He would always decline their requests because he can’t bear seeing any of them go. His love for them is what fuels him to hustle every single day of his life.
Spreading the love for dogs
Thomas has caught the attention of different media outfits in the Philippines. In fact, he’s already been featured in countless newspapers, magazines, and TV shows. You can watch one of his interviews in the video below:
Credits to ABS-CBN News