Dainer, the 12-year-old boy from Bahía Honda in the province of Artemisa, whose story touched thousands of people after going viral for running barefoot and climbing palm trees over 20 meters high to help his family, received on Wednesday the bicycle he dreamed of to be able to go to school.
The gift was delivered by the Cuban influencer Yeison López (@hermandadtmph), who also brought a pair of Nike sneakers and financial assistance for the child's family.
The delivery was captured in a video posted on Instagram, where López shared the excitement of the moment with his followers. The post received over 48,000 "likes" and more than 1,300 comments.
"I have been dreaming of these moments for many years: returning to my country, my neighborhood, and my people, as a man. A man who can inspire others who are growing up under the same conditions I did, a man who can help and bring a little hope," he wrote.
A promise kept
The bicycle, a black CONCORDE road model with red accents, equipped with disc brakes and a sports handlebar, will allow Dainer to cover the distance to his school in the rural settlement of Montaña with greater ease. Previously, the boy had to walk there.
In addition to the new means of transportation, López surprised the boy and his little sister with Nike sneakers and gave cash to the family, a gesture that was met with emotion by those present.
The phrase that moved thousands
The story of Dainer began to make its way across social media in mid-July, when Yeison López met him during a morning run. The boy followed him barefoot throughout the journey, and during their conversation, the influencer discovered that he did not attend school regularly because he had no way to get there.
The child's response became one of the most moving moments of the video: "I can ride a bike, which I don't have. I wish I had one."
His words touched the hearts of thousands of people both inside and outside of Cuba.
On July 27, López shared the story and challenged his more than 600,000 followers: if the video reached 100,000 likes, he would buy the bicycle himself that same week.
However, the day after he confessed that he had already purchased it before launching the challenge.
"I'll be honest: the bicycle was purchased before making this video. But amid all the junk content that appears on our social media, I want to give you the chance to be a part of this with your likes and interactions, so that you feel in some way like it was you who gifted the bike."
A boy who had already captivated social media
Dainer was already known among the followers of the content creator. On July 18, a reel featuring the young boy surpassed 450,000 views and 140,000 likes, showing how he climbed palm trees over 20 meters tall using improvised ropes to cut clusters of palm hearts since five in the morning.
His grandmother, who is in charge of both Dainer and his little sister, described the boy as a hardworking and responsible minor.
"Daini, my grandson, is very good. He works with people and so on. What I always tell him is that he needs to keep an eye out."
A story that goes beyond a bicycle
The story of Dainer highlighted a reality that many Cuban families live in silence: children who, due to economic hardships, take on responsibilities that are inappropriate for their age to help support the household.
The case also brought the debate about the situation of children in Cuba back to the forefront. The Cuban Conflict Observatory documented 71 reports related to child labor in 2025, while the government itself acknowledged that nearly 200,000 minors are living in vulnerable conditions.
In closing his post, Yeison López summarized what it meant to him to fulfill the promise made to the boy.
"I have experienced many things in the past few years, but none as satisfying as this. I hope and wish that all of you are able to achieve that feeling at some point."
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