Maximiliano Acuña was at work when he was left without legs after a speeding car ran over him.

Acuña, who is 33 years old and has five young children, says Francis spoke encouragingly to him.

He says first of all Francis explained one of Acuña's friends had sent him a letter.

"Then Francis said 'I was moved and struck by how much strength you have. Always go forward, because you're an example'."

Acuña's friend, Buenos Aires legislator Gustavo Vera, says he decided to email Francis about Acuña and explain what happened.

He told him the prognosis for his friend "was for the worst".

"In the best case scenario, he was expected to be in a vegetative state or to have serious neuronal damage, and in the worst case it was going to be the end for him," Vera told Francis.

Fortunately Acuña's recovery was significantly better than specialists had expected. He was able to go home within weeks.

Francis's phone call came just as Acuña was about to leave for a special ceremony to honour him.

He repeated the Pope's words at the ceremony in front of hundreds of other garbage collectors.

His friend Vera is working with the general secretary of the Truckers Union, on a proposal for 22 March (the date of Acuña's accident) to be declared Waste Collectors' Day.

Source

• Crux
• Christian Today
• Image: CruxNow