A Grab driver that goes by the name Melvin Poh shared a heart-wrenching incident that he experienced when he picked up a passenger named Din at 3.20am from United Square.
Writing in a Facebook post on Wednesday (29 May), the driver said that after he arrived at the pick-up destination, he was heartbroken to see an elderly man adorned in a security uniform walking slowly towards his car, aid with a walking stick. Adding to that, Mr Poh also realised that the senior’s fingers on his other hand were amputated.
During the ride, the driver learnt that Mr Din “suffered 2 stokes, 8 major falls and had been jobless for 8 years before being certified by his doctor to be able to perform light duties”.
Despite such hardship, Mr Din never gave up on getting back into the workforce. He had to relearnt a lot of different things like using his left hand to write, built his strength to walk once again and more.
It was said that after attending countless interviews, the elderly many finally was hired as a security guard.
Although he secured a job, but Mr Din has to spend nearly half of his daily salary of S$65 on transportation after he finishes work at 3am.
As such, he depends on ride-hailing apps like Go-Jek and Grab to get home as he does not want to risk another major fall.
Upon hearing his passenger’s plight, Mr Poh “offered to pick him up from work everyday for just S$10”. The good Samaritan said that by doing so, he hopes that Mr Din’s transport expenses will be reduced slightly and he will be able to save at least S$200-S$300 monthly.
However, Mr Poh highlighted that he won’t be able to commit every single day due to other work commitments. Therefore, he urges other drivers to help him give Mr Din a ride back home to Rivervale Cres after his shift. “A little kindness goes a long way my friend,” he wrote.
After his post went online, Mr Poh started receiving donations from various individuals. The driver then noted that he is not seeking donation and instead just wants any kind soul to give Mr Din a ride home for S$10.
In an updated post, the driver said that he received “a total of S$180 worth of donations from kind members of the public as well as friends”, and will be passing it to Mr Din.
He also added that he won’t be accepting anymore donations and will be setting up a funding page for the public to donate to the senior man.
In the comment section of Mr Poh’s post, many netizens praised him for his thoughtful act. They thanked him for his kindness and having a heart of gold. One online user even called him “an angel sent by God from heaven to answer this man’s (Mr Din) prayer”, adding that he is such an inspiration for others.
