There have been a lot of things that have changed during the Covid-19 pandemic, starting with the fact that we have to constantly use a mask in order to be safe. Another thing that was introduced into our lives was the vaccines. All around the world, there is a variety of vaccines so everyone can be safe, no matter where they are. The internet is full of some crazy characters related to these vaccines, but not all of them are bad. Panta Petrovic, a 70-year-old Serbian hermit doesn’t care that he has been isolated from the rest of the world for 20 years, he still is preventing having a rough time because of Coronavirus.
This man’s story has been all over the place. Since the minute he heard about the pandemic, he went to get vaccinated in the nearby village. He has been living in a cave alone, surrounded only by animals, especially his wild pig Mara, and his thoughts since 2001.
He used to live a very hectic life, as he stated, working in various black markets, but one day he decided he had enough of everything and everyone and left to turn his life 180°. Panta loves nature and says that being alone makes him feel incredibly free, something that he didn’t feel in his previous life. Before going away, he donated all of his savings to build some bridges in his town.
His cave is very far away from the rest of the people. It is located at the peak of the Stara Planina mountain in the South of Serbia, so it is very difficult to get there. He has a bathtub, which works as the bathroom, along with a couple of bales of hay where he sleeps. As for the food, he usually eats mushrooms and fish that he gets in the nearby river.
Panta visits his hometown village, Pirot, a couple of times every few months to get some provisions. He is well known there by the locals, who can’t miss his long braided gray hair and beard. In one of his visits, he was told that there was a very dangerous virus.
His actions had been very praised, and he has asked the people of his country to do the same, saying that “the virus does not pick. It will come here, to my cave, too”. Panta also says that he doesn’t understand why so many people are unwilling to get the vaccine since it would protect us all.
