For four siblings, their father was once nothing more than a hazy, fading memory from their childhood. But after four decades, those memories came alive when they heard his voice and finally saw him in person.

Lean Augustine, a native of Sasthamkotta in Kollam, had walked out on his wife and four children 40 years ago. After years of wandering across various places, he eventually found refuge at the New Malabar Rehabilitation Centre in Madikai Malappacheri, near Nileshwaram in Kasaragod, where he has lived as a resident for the past 16 years.

Whenever staff at the centre asked him about his home and family, Lean would speak incoherently, making it nearly impossible to piece his story together. However, he recently expressed a deep yearning to see his children to Susmitha, the administrator of the rehabilitation centre.

Driven by his wish, Susmitha began investigating the fragmented details Lean had shared over the years. Her perseverance paid off when she managed to obtain the phone number of one of his relatives, which eventually led her to his children.

When Lean left his home, his youngest daughter Usha was just a three-year-old toddler. Today, she is 43. While one of his sons, Raju, passed away some years ago, his daughters Shobha and Usha travelled all the way to Kasaragod to see their father. Lean has now returned home with them, where his wife and another son, Saju, are waiting to welcome him.

The New Malabar Rehabilitation Centre has been providing care and shelter to the destitute and abandoned for over 20 years. The facility currently supports and cares for around 120 elderly residents.