Napoli forward Dries Mertens delivers pizza to the homeless, rescued a dog shelter from closure and even ‘married’ a cancer patient at a local children’s hospital
BY day, Dries Mertens is firing Napoli to what could be their first Serie A title in 28 years.
By night, the Belgian puts on a cap to cover his face and delivers pizzas to the homeless of Naples.
The forward’s kindness doesn’t stop there, with local newspaper revealing Mertens’ amazing charity work.
He is a regular visitor to children’s hospitals in his new city.
The 30-year-old, whose 16 goals have fired Napoli to what could be a first Serie A title in 28 years, is a regular visitor to Aurora, a teenage girl who has cancer.
Mertens and Aurora have become great friends – and even got married for fun.
On Instagram he wrote: “Unfortunately I am already married, because you are a wonderful girl!”
The forward is said to be a frequent visitor to children on terminal and intensive care wards.
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Along with wife Katrin, he paid for a local dog shelter to stay open when it faced closure.
When the news was announced, he said: “I went with Katrin and my friend Antonio to the La Fenice kennel and I’m honestly very sad, because I saw so many abandoned dogs.
“I ask everyone for help to find a family for these dogs.
“We have adopted Juliette and we are very happy to help the kennel staff, but in addition to their great work, the help of each one of you is necessary.”
His own dog, Juliette, is a rescue animal.
Mertens also sends medicine to Venezuelan children and also collects people’s second hand clothes and donates them to kids who can’t afford to buy their own.
Once he saw a photo on Instagram of a child in Guinea wearing his Napoli shirt.
Mertens tracked down the photographer and eventually sent the child a signed shirt – as well as the rest of his school jumpers and other basic necessities.
His pizza delivery service took place in December.
The forward does not publicise the work on social media and is said to have delivered pizza – Naples’ most famous export – with a friend.
The delivery came after the 3-1 win in Torino.
Mertens is said to have visited the central train station in the city and handed out pizzas to those in need.