Man ‘Repays His Debt’ to English Family Who Saved Him From a Life of Poverty Selling Peanuts for $1 a Day

A man joined the British Army to “repay his debt” to the English family who saved him from a life of selling peanuts for £1 a day.

Gopal Vaakode was 12 when he met the Hanson family who were holidaying in Goa, where he was walking 10 miles a day selling peanuts to tourists on the southwest coast of India.

Sometimes he’d sleep on the beach, and other nights in a tent on the side of the road, providing for his three younger siblings and mother.

He asked the tourist couple, Carol Thomas and Colin Hanson, and the sister-in-law Linda Hanson, if they’d like to buy some peanuts. They did much more than that, taking him shopping for clothes and food for his family of five.

They promised the teen they’d see him when they returned next year—and by pure chance the couple in their 50s bumped into him on the beach, 12 months later.

It ignited a lifelong bond, and within days the family persuaded Gopal and his mother Peckrrva, to let them help further.

They sent money from the UK for food and supplies and paid for the family to live in a rented home in Goa every monsoon season, coming to visit them for months at a time.

It was a stark improvement for his mother who would scavenge for plastic bags to sell for rupees—and it allowed the kids to go back to school.

Then, at age 19, Gopal began visiting his ‘foster family’ in the UK for months at a time, and on one trip he joined with the local cricket team for a match at the Allscott army barracks.

It was there that a brigadier asked him if he’d consider joining the British Army—and Gopal leapt at the chance to repay the people and country who had saved him.

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Ten years on, now 35, he lives in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, with his wife Jasmine, and their seven year old daughter—and feels like the “luckiest kid in the world”.

“The main reason I wanted to join was to make my family proud and say thanks to Linda, Colin, and Carol for everything they did for me,” he said.

“I will forever be in debt to them, but joining the army was my way of repaying them by doing something important in this world.

“There was a day when I had no food, nowhere to sleep and nothing to look forward to in life. Now I have a loving family with an incredible wife and an amazing daughter. I really could not ask for more.”

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The Hansons could not be more happy. “He has made us all extremely proud with what he is achieving in the army, and now he has a wonderful family too,” said Colin, a businessman. “It was an amazing journey, and we’re overjoyed to have met him.”

Gopal said, “Our life never seemed like it was going to get any better.” On a “good day” they’d earn 70–100 rupees, only about a dollar, enough to buy food. But, every Saturday a new flight would arrive from the UK, which is how he met the English family.

“Instead of buying peanuts they bought me lunch. They took me shopping, bought me some new clothes and supplies to take back to my family.

“I couldn’t express the feelings of happiness I experienced that day. I was so sad to see them go but they promised me they’d come back next year, and they did.

“One year on, I saw them walking across the beach whilst I was working my usual day. I couldn’t believe my eyes! I ran over to them and gave them a massive hug.”

He learned they wanted to help him long term, and added: “I was 13 at the time and felt like the luckiest kid in the world.”

Six years later he came to stay with the family in Teleford. Gopal continued to visit England for holidays, and in 2009 met the army brigadier, who asked if he would want to sign up. As a commonwealth citizen, he was allowed to join, and got a permanent visa after basic training—and after six years of service, a British passport making him a British citizen.

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Gopal’s mom died in 2016, but his three sisters Jaya, Knencha and Renuka still live in India, helped financially by their devoted brother.

Colin recalls with fondness the year they met, saying, “He was the most charming little boy.

“We felt a connection with him, despite him virtually speaking no English at the time, he said. “It felt natural, and the more time we spent with him the closer we became.”

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