By Violet Pereira, Team Mangalorean

Mangalore: This is a story of a young man who was depressed, decided to run away from home, found shelter at a Charitable Home, cured and came out of his severe depressions, and finally was re-united with his family.

Devadas Santosh Patil aged 28 years, is the son of Santhosh Dayaram Patil and Hira Bai, from Vyara District, Gujarath. Twelve years ago when Devadas was studying in SSLC, went in to depression when he found that he had failed in all the subjects. His depressions were so severe, that his parents took him to Mumbai for treatment.  Devadas started responding to the treatment and was recovering well. While on stress treatment, Devadas feeling that he was recuperating from depression, he was reluctant to be on medication anymore. He started to raise voices at his family members saying "I am normal, why should I take tablets". He refused to listen to his parents. 

On  December 30, 2010 Devadas absconded from home without leaving any clue to his home people where he had gone. His parents approached the police and lodged a complaint in the police station in Gujarath,  even TV Channels in Gujarat telecasted his photo as missing person, but it was all in vain.  Devadas couldn't be traced by the police nor the TV crew.

What a coincidence, while the founder and Managing Trustee of Snehalaya Charitable Trust, Talapady, Joseph Crasta was in Sullia to attend family function, he found Devadas there on February 1, 2011. Joseph Crasta, named as a "good Samaritan of Mangalore" has is own mission of taking care of the destitutes, poor, homeless, mentally retarted, alcoholics, and also those who are ailing from severe diseases. Crasta takes care of all these less fortunate people, by giving them a chance to lead a better life through his selfless love and care.

Crasta brought Devadas to Snehalaya, Talapady,  treated him with good hospitality, dressed him nice, and later took Devadas to Yenepoya Hospital, Derlakatte for some medical care.  Devadas had to be hospitalized for 15 days as per doctors advise. After being discharged from the hospital Joseph took him back to Snehalaya. Devadas started recovering and also started helping in the daily chores of the' Snehalaya 'house. After recovering from depression he was very co-operative with everyone. As time passed by Devadas healed completely. In December, when Devadas finally gave his address in Gujarath a letter was sent from Shenalaya to his parents to take their son back home.  But no luck, since there was no reply from Devadas's home folks.

Last month, Snehalaya staff sent one more letter to Devadas's home, but again there was no response. On August 2, 2012, Snehalaya received a call from Devadas home. Next day, August 3, Devadas's brother Suhas , along with Devdas's brother- in -law came down to Snehalaya, and escorted him back home to Gujarath. At the beginning, he was unhappy seeing his two family members who had come to take him back to his native place, Devadas refused to go back to Gujarath saying, "I like to stay here at  Snehalaya, I don't want to go back to my native place".  After he was convinced by the Snehalaya caretakers he agreed to go back to Gujarath, assuring to come back again to Snehalaya and serve them. Seems like a happy ending to a great personal life story.