Pics: Abhijith N Kolpe

Mangaluru, Dec 8: In a heart-warming milestone, White Doves NGO, a renowned organization dedicated to helping the psychosocially destitute alongside its other philanthropic initiatives, has successfully reunited its 450th individual with their family. The reunion involved Shivkumar, a man who had been living in destitution for 14 years and was found at the bus stand near the superintendent of police office in Pandeshwar, Mangaluru. He has now been reunited with his family in Chhattisgarh.

Shivkumar, who had no memory of his past, became part of the White Doves family at their home for the destitute. "He would often make loud noises and talk to himself. Sometimes, he would try to leave, saying he was going home, but he had no idea where home was," said Corrine Rasquinha, the founder of White Doves.

Recently, Shivkumar began recalling fragments of his past, including his uncle's name and a few other details. Jerald, the NGO's manager, worked tirelessly for two weeks to trace Shivkumar's family. It was discovered that Shivkumar had been mentally unwell since childhood and had moved to Delhi with his mother and uncle after his father's death in 2008.

In Delhi, Shivkumar worked at construction sites and spent time near the railway station. Tragically, his mother fell from a building in 2009, becoming bedridden. The uncle had taken her to Chhattisgarh, intending to return to Delhi, but Shivkumar disappeared before they could reunite. Despite their frantic search, they could not locate him. Heartbroken, his bedridden mother passed away two years ago, longing to see her son one last time.

Today, Shivkumar’s uncle and cousin visited White Doves, expressing immense gratitude for the care he had received over the years. With tears of joy, they shared their willingness to bring him back to Chhattisgarh, where he will live with his younger brother and extended family.

The reunion stands as a testament to White Doves' unwavering dedication to restoring hope and rebuilding lives.