The Man Who Cycled 500 Miles Just to See His Family

A Real Life Story

Part 1: Lockdown and Loneliness

March 2020. The world came to a halt. Streets emptied, shops shuttered, and fear spread faster than the virus itself. In the bustling city of Delhi, where millions of dreams breathed under layers of dust and neon lights, one such dream belonged to Ram Lal, a 32-year-old migrant worker from Bihar.

Ram worked as a cleaner in a private office. He earned a modest income, sending most of it back home to his wife Meera, their two children, and his ailing mother. Life wasn’t easy, but it was steady. Until the lockdown hit.

Within days, his job vanished. His landlord demanded rent. The little savings he had were vanishing like sand slipping through his fingers. And the worst part, he was hundreds of miles away from his family with no trains, no buses, and no help.

Part 2: A Desperate Decision

As days passed, Ram’s heart grew heavier. He called Meera every night, listening to their children ask, “Papa kab aoge?” (When will you come, Papa?)

One night, after skipping dinner so he could save the last few rupees, he sat under a flyover and made a decision that would change his life.

He would cycle home.

It didn’t matter that he didn’t own a cycle. It didn’t matter that his village in Bihar was over 800 kilometers away. What mattered was his family.

He borrowed ₹500 from a fellow worker and bought an old, rusty second-hand bicycle. No gears, no shock absorbers, just two wheels, a broken chain, and a will made of steel.

Part 3: The Journey Begins

Ram tied a small bag to the cycle: two shirts, a water bottle, and a packet of parle-g biscuits. No GPS. No maps. Only a paper scrap with the route scribbled in Hindi and his memories of the highway.

He pedaled under the scorching sun, through empty highways, past closed petrol pumps and shuttered dhabas. Every day was a battle with hunger, fatigue, and despair.

He slept in abandoned bus stands, bathed in roadside hand pumps, and begged for food from strangers. Some helped, many ignored. But he never stopped.

Main thak sakta hoon, ruk nahi sakta, he told himself. (I can get tired, but I can’t stop.)

Part 4: Kindness on the Road

On the third day, his foot started bleeding due to constant cycling with torn slippers. A truck driver saw him limping and offered a banana and a bottle of water.

Bhai, tu pagal hai kya? 800 kilometer cycle se? the driver asked.

Ram simply smiled, “Pagal nahi, baap hoon.” (Not mad, just a father.)

That sentence stayed with the driver. He gave Ram a first-aid kit, some food, and directions to avoid police checkposts. In those small moments of kindness, humanity showed its face even during a pandemic.

Part 5: Homecoming

After seven days, nearly collapsing from exhaustion and dehydration, Ram reached the muddy path leading to his village. His hands were blistered, his lips cracked, and his legs trembling.

But his eyes sparkled with joy.

His children came running, Meera dropped the water pot and ran barefoot, hugging him tightly. Even his old mother, who could barely walk, limped forward with tears in her eyes.

The whole village gathered, stunned. Word spread like wildfire: “Ram cycle se sheher se wapas aaya hai!” (Ram returned from the city on a bicycle!)

That night, they didn’t sleep. They sat around him, listening to his story, holding his hands, and thanking the gods.

Part 6: The Man, The Message

Ram’s journey became a symbol not just of struggle, but of hope. He didn’t cycle 500 miles just to escape hunger. He cycled because he couldn’t bear to live without his loved ones.

His story went viral after a local teacher posted it online. NGOs came forward to help. A local journalist interviewed him. And the best part? A company gifted him a brand-new bicycle, and a job in a warehouse near his village so he’d never have to leave his family again.

💬 Ram Lal Message:

In times of crisis, we often discover our true strength. Ram Lal, with nothing but love in his heart and pain in his feet, showed us that nothing is impossible when your soul rides the wheels of love.