A road accident rarely ends at the crash site. For many families, it marks the beginning of a long struggle with disability, mounting medical bills and an uncertain future. For Pune resident Santosh Waichal, a late-night accident on the Pune-Nashik Highway in 2024 cost him his speech, his leg, and his livelihood. Today, his wife and son are holding the family together while hoping rehabilitation will one day give him a second chance at independence.

Santosh, before the accident with his wife Shital and son Aditya, who now shoulder the family’s responsibilities