Retired farmer spends life-savings to donate new ambulance to local service

A 89-year-old retired farmer has spent all her life-savings to donate a brand new and fully equipped ambulance to a local service and hospital in western Greece.

Athina Papachristou from the city of Messolonghi spend 65,000 euros for the ambulance.

The vehicle was immediately integrated to the local ambulance service, with the names of hers and her late husband on the door.

She revealed that she made the donation in memory of her late husband. she said that years ago, when there was no such emergency service in Messolonghi, she was often forced to transport her sick husband by herself and with great struggling and suffering to hospitals in Ioannina, Patras or Athens.

AthenaPapachristoudid not ask for any special service or privileges for her donation. Except one thing: when the ambulance passes through the street she lives to turn on the siren!

The president of ambulance service EKAV traveled to Messolonghi specifically for this purpose and to honor the elderly woman and her contribution.

He assured her that with her generous donation, EKAV rescuers will now be able to offer even better and more quality services to the residents of Messolonghi.

He thanked her warmly and wished that others would follow her example.

For her part, she asked for only one thing in return: When the ambulance passes under her house, the crew remembers to hit her siren!!…

The issue made known to public by an EKAV employee who posted:with his post:

“Mrs. Athina Papachristou is neither a shipowner nor an industrialist… She is a retired farmer. With her backlog after many decades of work, she made a bundle and decided to donate an ambulance worth about 65,000 euros to the EKAV of Messolonghi… An example to follow… What the State could not do, Mrs. Athena did… Thank you!” Vangelis Moularas wrote.