Charity always began at home for big-hearted Christian Atsu and while he was a true Newcastle United star who fans serenaded during his time at St James' Park, he never forgot the people he'd left behind. When his car stopped at traffic lights in his native Ghana he would be approached by kids begging for money. It stuck with him and as soon as he had the funds he set about building schools, hospitals and community projects.
His own dad had died in the hospital because his family couldn't afford to pay the medical bills and it came before Atsu would have been in a position to do so as a top-flight star. But he wanted to make sure another family didn't have to endure that later in his life.
Footballers like Atsu aren't just your average player, Atsu was an ambassador for Ghana but also an example of how to treat people. Too often we see people posting sentiments on kindness on social media but then being unable to carry that into the real world.
Read more: Mehrdad Ghodoussi leads tributes to former Newcastle United winger Christian Atsu
Atsu was different. He wouldn't be able to walk past somebody without saying "hello" or giving a smile or a thumbs up. He made the world around him warmer and his devastating end to life during the Turkey earthquakes is difficult to process. Geordie hearts will go out to his young family, who used to turn up at St James' Park and kick and head every ball from the stands for him. The dressing room who knew him best will also be devastated.
Atsu was a massively popular member of the squad after arriving under Rafa Benitez on an initial loan deal. Benitez signed him because he was a team player and knew he'd play wherever he asked him to and give 100%. It was that attitude that made him so popular with the supporters too. And why they chanted his name with his own chant about running down the wing.
Footballers don't have to talk to newspaper journalists, but Atsu would do so win, lose or draw. Not because he wanted to see his name up in lights (although his performances and effort did that anyway) but because he always said he wanted to "thank the fans" after matches.
It became almost a ritual for Atsu to stop and talk, whether it was raining or snowing or the sun was rarely shining on Tyneside during the long hard winters. Atsu used to joke about the weather often, when he'd go away to sunnier climes to play for Ghana he'd quip that getting some sunshine was nice but it only made the readjustment period tougher!
Even when his time was up at Newcastle he sent a message, after being asked where next, saying: "I will move to somewhere warm haha."
But he wasn't complaining. His first goal for Newcastle came at Rotherham in 2016, Atsu reflected: "I was very happy that my first goal came quick, because it really helped me to settle well with the squad. "And scoring in front of the Newcastle fans is always something special."
He would do it eight times for Newcastle across his four years on Tyneside in just shy of 100 appearances. One of his most important goals came away to Cardiff when he flicked a free-kick home from range in a 2-0 win on Good Friday 2017.
It was a goal that helped put Newcastle on course for the Championship title and promotion to the Premier League. Atsu always used to say in pre-season he wanted to improve and score more, it was the measure of a man that didn't get carried away with success.
He would play a big part in the early years back in the Premier League but the fans that travelled to Oxford for the FA Cup replay in 2020 would be seeing him for the last time. After an emphatic 3-2 win he came on as sub, helped the team into round five and threw his shirt into the crowd, one of the last matches before lockdown.
The shirt throw was another typical gesture from Atsu - always giving something back. His career would then take him to Saudia Arabia to play for Al Raed before his fateful move Hatayspor with his last kick of a football proving to be a winning free-kick.
For me, the thing that will stand out the most during his time at Newcastle will be his charity work with Arms Around the World.
During a tearful interview Atsu could not fight back the tears as he talked about the way that homeless children in Ghana are orphaned, abused, affected by HIV/AIDS, and are in danger of being trafficked or sold.
Atsu said then: “Have you been to Ghana? Life is hard enough there, when my car stops at the traffic lights children beg for money.
“They don’t have a house or nowhere to go. "They can end up in bad situations. We have to build a better world for them."
That same world is an emptier and sadder place without people like Atsu. He will never be forgotten.
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