In a heartwarming act of kindness, an anonymous septuagenarian celebrated his 70th birthday by clearing the outstanding hospital bills of two snakebite survivors at Bishop Murray Medical Centre in Makurdi, Benue State, enabling them to reunite with their families after months of being held back by unpaid debts.
The generous donor paid a total of ₦1,092,000. Fifteen-year-old Ikpa Goodluck from Torkula in Guma Local Government Area, who had spent over a year and three months on admission after a snakebite, had his bill of ₦639,000 settled. Similarly, Udoji Joseph from Mbakyundu in Makurdi Local Government Area, also a snakebite survivor, was discharged after the philanthropist covered his ₦453,000 bill.
Hospital staff described the gesture as timely and deeply compassionate, noting the emotional relief it brought to families who had watched their loved ones recover physically but remained trapped by financial constraints.
The donor, who chose to remain unnamed, conveyed through hospital staff that turning 70 was about gratitude. “If my birthday can restore a child to his parents and a man to his community, then I’ve received the best gift,” he reportedly said.
The touching story has been celebrated as a quiet reminder that true generosity needs no name or spotlight. For Ikpa Goodluck and Udoji Joseph, the 70th birthday of a stranger became the day they finally returned home.
