An elderly man from Camagüey known as Melanio, a beloved figure in the streets of his city, received a wave of solidarity organized through Facebook this week after losing his dog Jana, his inseparable companion for six years, who passed away on March 25 at the age of 13.
It was Léster Keyner Rodríguez Hernández who spread Melanio's story on social media with a call to help him, a post that garnered over 15,700 views and 868 reactions.
In it, he described the effort it takes for the elderly man to travel daily several kilometers from the La Belén neighborhood to the area of Plaza del Gallo and the Boulevard, pushing a wooden cart, often hungry and under the intense Camagüey sun.
"For those of us who love animals, we know that losing a companion like her is often felt more keenly than the loss of a person," wrote Rodríguez Hernández.
The community's response was quick. Dozens of people sent donations that were delivered to Melanio two days ago: bananas, assorted food, detergent, soap, cologne, and condensed milk, an item that brought a special joy to the elderly man.
“She was also excited about the condensed milk, and although it may seem simple to some, many Cubans find it very difficult to treat themselves to such a delight, and they can go for years without enjoying things as simple as these,” explained Rodríguez Hernández in the post that documented the delivery.
But the most emotional moment came when they showed Melanio a photograph that the photographer elvatodlasfotos.cu had taken some time ago with Jana.
"The most special detail was the photograph that a friend had taken some time ago of Melanio and his dog Jana; when he saw it, the love he felt for his companion was evident in his eyes," Rodríguez Hernández recounted.
In the delivery video, Melanio did not hide his pain or his devotion to Jana: "I feel like I don’t want any more dogs until I get an answer to that, because for me, there are no more dogs than that," he said.
His bond with the dog was well-known in the neighborhood. A veterinarian friend of Rodríguez Hernández recalled that on very cold days, Melanio would put the coat on Jana before putting it on himself.
"He is a humble man, and with the little he resolved, you could always see him feeding Jana. That is admirable, especially in times like these when many people, often with better circumstances, mistreat their animals," wrote Rodríguez Hernández.
During the delivery, Melanio also shared that he enjoys listening to music very much: his favorite groups are Fórmula V, Los Pasos, and especially Los Yakis, bands that have been very popular on Cuban radio since the sixties and seventies. Rodríguez Hernández promised to get him a USB drive with those songs.
Melanio's story reflects a growing trend in Cuba where Facebook—the most used platform on the island—serves as a channel for community solidarity in the absence of effective social safety nets, amidst an economic crisis that has turned basic items like soap and condensed milk into true luxuries for much of the population.
"The most important thing is having helped him, to allow him to spend a few days without the need to walk so many kilometers and to have a bit of peace," concluded Rodríguez Hernández.
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