A heart-attack caught 44-year-old Ajaz Ahmed off-guard on the local train, at 11 pm. He had packed up, closed his small street-side stall, and was on his way back home.  If a  good Samaritan had not rushed him to the hospital on time, he would not even have survived.

Life was never the same after this night, for Ajaz and his family. Though he survived the heart attack, Ajaz never had the physical strength to be able to go back and open his stall. His condition has been worsening since.

"I used to believe I survived for a reason. I felt like I had really gotten another chance, but now, I'm losing all hope. I see my wife go on with the hope that she needs to get through just one more day before a miracle happens. My children think I will start walking around soon, and life will go back to how it was. Every night, all of us go back to bed with just prayers, and nothing else."

Ajaz has 5 children, all of who are still in school. With his stall closed for over two months, the 7-member family is struggling to sustain itself on the Rs. 50-60 that his wife makes by taking up small stitching and darning work.

Ajaz's brother has been taking care of his family, besides his own. With his limited income, he has been taking care of  Ajaz's children and even his medical expenses.

"I was the bread-winner of this house, and now I'm living off my brother's income. I feel crippled. I feel helpless. I am not even able to give my children things they need."

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A surgery is his only hope to get back to his life. The procedure costs 2.5 lakh, which is too much for him to afford. The family have been forced to put the surgery off for quite some time, due to lack of funds. Ajaz's health is deteriorating fast. The frequent spells fever and nausea leave him weaker every time. He will not make it without help.