Alvin Lewis - Photo by Robet Lalah

When the story of Alvin Lewis, the 53-year-old miniature ship-builder, was published in The Gleaner last Friday, Jamaicans from all over responded with tremendous generosity.

Lewis is from Majesty Gardens in St. Andrew and has been making and selling miniature ships for more than 13 years now.

He has, however, developed a serious infection in his leg and needed to raise $48,000 to have it treated. Doctors told him that if he did not have the leg looked after soon, they would have no choice but to amputate it.

When readers saw his story in The Gleaner, they flooded our offices with telephone calls and emails pledging help for him. By midday Friday, the entire $48,000 was promised.

Today, Alvin Lewis is a grateful man and his faith in his fellow citizens has been renewed.