The story of Samuel Mwawato reads like a script in a movie.
Mwawato, for 15 years was flying planes in the United States of America, before he decided to come back home.
That is when his life took a nasty turn and is today a garbage collector at Mtwapa, Kilifi County.
The 55-year-old started his flying journey at the Wilson airport where he served as a cabin crew before he got a scholarship and went to the US where he learnt flying.
He flew his first plane in 1990. In 2005, the soft-spoken decided to return home and practice flying at home.
That is where his life troubles started as he was required to convert his license to allow him to fly in Kenya.
According to KTN News, the 55-year-old needed 10 hours of day and 10 of night flying in order to be licensed to start his career in Kenya.
This required him Sh500, 000. He took a loan to finance his classes but things soon crashed.
Since then, he fell from his flying career to a hustler.
He now earns a livelihood from the streets of Mtwapa where he collects garbage at a fee.
From a pilot to a handcart puller, the sorry story of Mwawato pierces like a sharp knife.
More painful is that his wives, an American with whom they had two daughters, and a Kenyan one – with whom they had a son – have deserted him after his life took a twist.