THE MAN WHO CARRIED EVERYTHING IN SILENCE

A few days ago, our world stopped. We lost our father. Not just a parent, but the only person who held our family together. He was the sole earning member, the quiet strength behind our home, the reason we could study, dream, and live with dignity. Our family is small. My mother, my sister Shraddha, my grandfather, and me. Everything we had stood on his shoulders. My father worked endlessly. He never complained, not once. Even when life pressed him from all sides, he chose silence over burdening us. His only wish was that my sister and I study well and build a better future. My sister Shraddha is a sincere and hardworking student. She studied at Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya in Gadchiroli, Maharashtra. Both of us are preparing for NEET. She missed an MBBS seat by just a few marks, yet she never lost hope. My father believed in her deeply. He trusted her strength even when she doubted herself. He kept saying, “Try once more. You will make it.” While we were studying in Amravati, our mother was battling severe mental illness. My father hid this truth from us. He was afraid our studies would suffer if we knew. Alone, he took her to doctors, hospitals, anywhere someone promised help. At the same time, he was under a loan of more than four lakhs. Bank officials called him four to six times every day for EMIs. Still, when we spoke to him, he smiled. At home, he made sure we felt safe and loved. He carried every fear quietly within himself. When we finally returned home, we saw how fragile our mother had become. She had lost hope in life. Twice, she tried to end it. Once, she went to a river to drown herself. Another time, she brought poison home. We somehow sensed the danger and secretly replaced the poison with papaya juice so it would look the same but cause no harm. We did it silently, without her knowing, only to save her life. We immediately told our father, warning him that our mother was in serious danger. All of this slowly broke him. At the same time, the private company where he worked became bankrupt. Salaries stopped. For seven to eight months, his unpaid salary reached nearly two lakhs. With pressure mounting, he left the job and was about to join a new company. Around then, he developed a cough and fever. We asked him to see a doctor, but he ignored it. He said it was nothing. He was focused on starting the new job. On 6th November 2025, he joined a company in Nagpur. On 10th November, he spoke to my mother and said he had fever but had taken medicine. On 11th November, someone from his company came to our house saying my father was not answering calls. When my mother called again, his supervisor picked up and said, “Your husband’s condition is serious. Please come to GMC Nagpur immediately.” My mother asked what happened. He said, “He is not responding.” I stood beside her and asked the question no child should ever ask, “Is my father even breathing?” There was a pause. Then he said words that broke us forever. “Perhaps your father has passed away. His body is cold and stiff.” In that moment, the ground disappeared beneath our feet. My mother collapsed in tears. My hands trembled uncontrollably. My sister was cleaning the bathroom. When she came out, my mother looked at her and said softly, “Your father is no more.” My sister froze and whispered just one word, “What?” We performed his last rites on 12th November 2025. The shanti puja was done on 17th December. Our home has been silent ever since. After his death, the previous company finally cleared his pending salary. But we are still left with more than two lakhs of unpaid loan, daily household expenses, ongoing medical treatment for my mother, and the education costs for both of us. The man who carried everything alone is no longer here, and we are learning how to stand without him. The support from this campaign will help us repay the remaining loan, manage medical and household needs, and allow my sister and me to continue our NEET preparation. More than money, it is a chance for us to rebuild the life my father worked so hard for. Even the smallest contribution can help us move forward. Your kindness, prayers, and support mean more than words can express. Thank you for reading our story and for standing with us during the hardest time of our lives. SHOW SUPPORT BY CLICKING ON THIS LINK https://milaap.org/fundraisers/support-pranjal-kusnake?utm_source=whatsapp&utm_medium=fundraisers-title&mlp_referrer_id=10480676