Di pikin of one fisherman, Christian Atsu neva get caught up for di trappings of fame.
Im humble beginnings mean say di Ghana midfielder, wey die for di recent earthquakeswey disturb Turkey and Syria, neva lose di desire to use im success to help odas for dia lives.
Im generosity and charitable nature mean one former international team-mate describe described Atsu as “one in a million”.
“E bin help plenti pipo solve dia problems, give cash out to those wey dey for need,” John Paintsil tell BBC Sport Africa.
“Atsu mind dey so good so tey e fit come up wit different ideas.
“E dey jovial and creative, like one movie star,” di former Fulham and West Ham defender add.
“We don lost one great soul. E be one inside million sake of say sometimes e dey put odas bifo imself.”
Di ‘Ghana Messi’
Perhaps di highlight of Atsu international career come for di 2015 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) for Equatorial Guinea wia e score two goals en route to di final wey Ivory Coast win on penalties.
Regardless, di left-footed midfielder bin pick up two awards of im own for best goal and best player for di tournament.
“Na joy to be wit and one great team-mate, pesin wey get plenti skill and quality,” Kwesi Appiah, wey bin play alongside Atsu for di 2015 Afcon tok.
“Dem bin nickname Ghana Messi for im style and also di way we rely on am as one team,”di former Crystal Palace striker reveal.
“Im na one exceptional player and I dey really honoured to don share some special moments wit am on di pitch.”
In total, Atsu bin represent im konri 62 times, e score 10 goals.
“Away from football, e dey very caring and supportive and dey go out of im way to help anypesin,” Appiah kontinu.
“E go light up any room.”
From fishing for Ghana to find di net for Europe
Dem born Atsu for January 1992 for Ada Foah, one town for di south-east coast of Ghana wia di Volta River join di Atlantic Ocean to create di delta wey allow im late father to manage out live fishing and farming.
Growing up, e bin share one cramped bedroom wit im mama, twin sister Christiana and four oda siblings.
Like oda African kids, football na di dream ticket out of poverty.
Atsu cut im teeth for local clubs Cheetah FC and Feyenoord Fetteh – di African academy of Dutch side Feyenoord – bifo di move to Portuguese giants FC Porto for 2009.
Atsu na just 17 wen e land for Portugal, first dey struggle to break into di first team.
But one successful loan spell for Rio Ave see am finally make di breakthrough for im parent club during di 2012/13 campaign.
25 appearances for all competitions for Porto, as well as playing every match as Ghana finish fourth for di Afcon for South Africa, bin convince Chelsea to snap am up for September 2013.
But di move to London, for reported fee of £3.5 million, no work out as planned sake of Atsu neva play any senior game for di Blues.
Instead, e become part of Chelsea loan army, wey lead to temporary spells for di Netherlands, England and Spain for Vitesse Arnhem, Everton, Bournemouth and Malaga.
But di stop-start club career no impact Atsu performances for di international stage; na during dis time wey e shine so brightly for di Black Stars for di 2015 Afcon.
During anoda loan, Atsu bin help Newcastle United win promotion back to di Premier League, e score for di game wey clinch one immediate return to di English top flight.
Dem make di move permanent soon afta.
“Im na pesin wey dey very gentle, e dey tok softly,” BBC Radio Newcastle commentator Matthew Raisbeck , wey remember Atsu from dat successful promotion campaign tok.
“(E) dey often singled out by Rafa Benitez and Steve Bruce [both former Newcastle managers] for im hard work for training and one really high level of physical fitness.”
Afta five years at St James’ Park, Atsu suffered an injury-blighted season in Saudi Arabia with Al-Raed before joining Turkish Super Lig side Hatayspor in September.
For touching twist of fate, e score one winning goal for di 97th minute of Hatayspor match against Kasimpasa just hours bifo di first earthquake strike to claim im life.
E be 31 years old.
‘One truly unique and wonderful man’
But perhaps Atsu biggest success come off di pitch, wia e lead one life wey dey very much di opposite of di bling stereotype wey dey linked wit modern day footballers.
E bin return to Cheetah FC, wia e first learn im trade, donating boots and oda items to di Ghanaian second tier side academy.
E also focus on rehabilitating criminals, pipo wey dey desperate for food and end up to be convicted of petty crimes.
Atsu believe say prison no suppose damage pipo and e dey responsible for reuniting plenti poor families for Ghana afta e pay thousands of dollars for di fines and bail money.
For one example, e help free one 62-year-old grandmother and her daughter, wey land for jail for stealing two dollar worth of corn to feed dia family.
E also give some of di prisoners moni to help dem start business and also upgrade di football pitch for Awutu Prison.
But Atsu philanthropy no dey limited only to help those wey dey trouble wit di law.
“Na such a giver, one super human being,” Ellie Milner, chairpesin of Arms Around di Child, tell BBC wen dem ask about di midfielder work wit children wey need help.
“Wen e visit di pikins, e go land and kick off im shoes and play barefoot.
“Dey go welcome am like hero, but also like papa, uncle or broda.
Atsu don be ambassador for di charity since 2016 and na di “main benefactor” of one Ghanaian school wey support abandoned pikins, orphans, di ones wey seriously sick and those wey dem rescue from trafficking.
“E be truly unique and wonderful man,” Milner add.
“One of di kindest, most talented, humble pipo to enter dis world.”
Im legacy go live on through di many hundreds, if not thousands of lives e don help.”
