A Mexican paletero who went viral for trying to sell his treats in a storm raises $10,000

• A Mexican paletero who tried to sell his treats in a storm raises $10,000.
• A reporter’s video of the man braving the elements went viral.
• «I didn’t go to school, but I know how to count.»

The perseverance of paletero Adrián Guerra Martínez, 59, moved millions of people after seeing how he tenaciously pushed his cart through a powerful storm.

Despite the fact that the water reached his ankles, the man did not stop, he kept pushing his cart through the streets of Acuña, Coahuila, Mexico.

“Most people told me that they saw their father in him”

A reporter recorded the touching moment in a 30 second video and shared it on TikTok. In just hours, the video reached nine million views and had hundreds of comments from people who wanted to help the paletero.

“Most people told me that they saw their father in him,” said Auden Cabello, who in addition to recording it, started a GoFundMe campaign support him financially.

«I didn’t sell anything, I took everything back»

When remembering that rainy day, Don Adrián Guerra, as he is known in Acuña, says that it was not the best day. «I did not sell anything, I took everything back.

I didn’t even earn money to eat.» The journalist waited for him for several days and, after buying him a ticket, offered to help him. «He’s going to help me have a house with a garden,» exclaimed the paletero as he choked up.

The Mexican paletero raised over $10,000

Over 881 people contributed to Don Adrián Guerra’s GoFundMe and he raised $10,400. The paletero lives alone in a small rented room. He has no children, was orphaned as a child and only has the support of some cousins ​​and a brother.

«I did not go to school, but I know how to count. I know the letters, but I don’t know how to read much,» said Guerra. Every morning he gets up early, walks to the warehouse, loads his cart and stands next to the Los Tres Hermanos shoe store, where he struggles to survive.

«Sometimes you stay hungry and sometimes you don’t»

The first pesos of his earnings are set aside to pay his monthly rent of $75. «Sometimes you stay hungry and sometimes you don’t,» says Guerra.

In the room where he lives there are no luxuries, but he has his cart and every day, no matter the weather, he goes out to earn his living honorably.