Melbourne boy's touching diary entries during lockdown
A 13-year-old boy has reminded people to be grateful by sharing his journal with thousands during the second coronavirus lockdown in Victoria.
Proud father, Abdi Aden, has been sharing his son, Kofi’s, journal entries to the Kindness Pandemic Facebook group for the past few months.
It all started when the Flemington flats in Melbourne went into lockdown in July and Kofi asked his father if he could write the children living inside a letter.
Mr Aden told Yahoo News Australia he teared up when the young teen showed him the letter.
“Dear kids of the lockdown,” Kofi wrote.
“These past few months have been a struggle, frustrating and stressful. Not being able to do the things we love and will be more grateful for is truely disappointing. But we are not in control of that...”
Kofi urged all the children to focus on their education.
“Keep concentrating at school and soon we will be out of this outbreak/pandemic,” he said.
When Mr Aden posted the letter to the Kindness Pandemic on behalf of Kofi, thousands of people were blown away by his kindness and compassion.
The organisers of the online group asked Mr Aden if Kofi would be willing to write 66 journal entries for the page, explaining what he was grateful for just as Melbourne entered its strict second lockdown.
Kofi fulfilled his promise and wrote an entry every day for those stuck at home.
The 13-year-old spoke to Yahoo News Australia this week during a break from his school work.
“I've really enjoyed it because, I like to see other people's comments, like what I'm doing well and also the things that I could like, improve on in my writing,” Kofi said, adding he hopes his writing helps other people get through the difficult time.
“It’s been a strange, peculiar and boring past few months,” Kofi wrote in his entry on July 9, succinctly summing up 2020 for most.
“My routine has been sleep, eat, play ball, eat, repeat. But obviously, I’m not in the worst situation and I’m very grateful for that.”
Mr Aden said Kofi just writes whatever is on his mind.
On August 16, Kofi wrote how he was grateful he and his family were in good health and that none of his family had contracted Covid “during this tough time”.
“And for those who aren’t, I am wishing you a speedy recovery.”
Just five days prior to that, on August 11, Kofi expressed his gratitude for his mum, who is a nurse.
“It really shows how kind she is and I like to follow in her footsteps by helping others in many things,” he said.
“I'm always keen to get back to school and why sports,” Kpofi told Yahoo News Australia when asked what he was most excited for when the Covid restrictions are lifted.
“And I'm guessing I'll have a different perspective and I'll be more grateful and won't take things for granted as much.”
Mr Aden, who is from Somalia, described his son as an avid basketball fan who is quite mature, kind and caring.
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