Former Homeless Teen Earns Praise Online for Graduating from Ateneo de Manila University w/ Honors
A former homeless teen went viral and becomes an online inspiration after graduating with honors from Ateneo de Manila University.
Recently, Eugene dela Cruz, a Facebook user, shared his inspiring journey from being homeless to becoming a college graduate. The post immediately circulated online and elicited comments from the internet users.
At the young age of 12, Eugene was left to survive on his own in Metro Manila. With no home or family to turn to, he spent years sleeping under bridges, in alleyways, or inside parked vehicles. He begged for food and faced each day with uncertainty, trying to stay strong despite his difficult situation.
“At only 12 years old, I found myself disowned, stripped of a home, and left to survive on the streets of Metro Manila. For the next four years, I wandered. I begged. I slept under bridges when it rained, in alleyways when the skies were clear, and inside parked tricycles or jeepneys when I got lucky. But for the most part, I was invisible: a child surviving in a world that kept moving without me,” dela Cruz said.
Even though it took him ten years to finish high school, Eugene never gave up. He believed that his future could still change, which led him to apply for college, even though he didn’t have a fancy background or money to support his education.
“I applied through the Office of Admission and Aid, pouring my entire story into the application, not because I thought it would impress anyone, but because I had nothing else to offer except the truth. Ateneo saw more than my gaps and my scars and, by some grace, the Ateneo took a chance on someone like me,” he said.
The 25-year-old student was accepted into Ateneo’s prestigious Economics Honors Program. He also took a specialization in Financial Economics and a minor in Decision Science. He graduated with honors, an achievement that once seemed impossible for a former street child.
The social media users expressed their reactions to the post:
