Diafra Sakho admits his situation is not ideal but insists he is willing to do the hard yards in order to provide for his family.
The 25-year old Senegalese striker joined the Hammers from Metz last summer and although it was a dream move to the English Premier League, he had to leave behind his wife and daughter in France.
Sakho says he grew up in a similar manner as his father was always off attempting to make money for the good of his family and although it is difficult, he is doing his best to make his loved ones as happy as possible.
"Of course my daughter misses me and I miss her," Sakho said. "But we are on Skype all of the time and I try to chat to her. We are still both adapting - both her and me - to the situation. She is not that far away and she does come to visit frequently, which makes me very happy of course.
"But when I lived with my mother when I was growing up, my father did exactly the same thing. He went off to earn money for the family.
"My dad was away from home all the time. He was a bus driver between Senegal and Guinea-Bissau. I effectively grew up without my father.
"My dad would come back once a month or two but as a family we accepted it and it did not mean he did not love us. On the contrary, he did all of this because he did love us. That was the path that he showed us. He helped us a huge amount and we were always grateful for that.
"Nevertheless, there were mornings when we would wake up and there would not be any food to eat. When I was growing up and my mum did not have any money, I would often tell her that I had eaten with friends to make her feel better. I did not want to see her cry.
"But we knew that better days would lie ahead - perhaps when dad came back home with more money.
"Now at least I can give my mother the life that she was not able to give to me when I was growing up, I am trying to make her happy now.
"Unfortunately, my dad passed away at the age of 53 and that was the example he has left me. Now he is not here, I feel that responsibility for the family.
"I have two brothers and a sister, my mother and my daughter to support. Obviously the choice to come to West Ham was both sporting and financial and I am just happy I am able to support the family by doing this."
