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Photo Credit: Natasha Mulusa

An Uber driver unknowingly saved a passenger’s life when he showed her an act of great kindness. Natasha never forgot Bartho, and recently set out to find and thank him:

 

Gqeberha, South Africa (25 January 2024) — Natasha Mulusa had kept the pictures of an Uber driver who unknowingly saved her life for nearly four years in hopes that she would one day be able to find and thank him.

It had been a long time since that day in 2020 when what began as a simple drive from one point to another became something that would indirectly turn her life around for the unforgettable.

Natasha was finally ready to tell the story of how Bartho Dick (her then Uber driver’s) simple act of kindness pulled her from depression and even thoughts of taking her own life. It took many years of building up the courage to share a story like this. But, its sharing was important; not only in finding Bartho, but reminding everyone how far kindness can travel.

“On the 08. 02. 2020, I was in deep depression. You know that moment in your life where nothing makes sense, I was at the lowest moments of my life,” she wrote. 

“When I got into the Uber I tried to pretend like I was all good but deep down all I wanted to do was scream my lungs out and cry.” 

She continued:

“I remember this Uber driver asking me, “how are you?” And mahn I don’t know what happened that day but I just burst into the loudest cry.

Bartho kindly asked Natasha if he could stop somewhere, to which Natasha trusted her gut, explaining that “something in [her] spirit could feel that he was God sent”.

“He stopped the car at a very random place, got out the car and asked me to also come out of the car. He gave me a very warm hug.”

The hug made Natasha cry even more as she had been holding her tears back for so long. Despite not knowing her or her situation, Bartho made sure he could at least let her know she wasn’t alone.

“He may not know it but on that day I was ready to commit suicide. I was ready to end it all and just throw in the towel…Thank you Bartho, it’s taken me years to do this but I guess, better late than never. Words or any gift will never match what you did for my life that day. I know God placed you in my life that day to save me. Here are you flowers while you are still alive.”

Bartho eventually came across the post, and this time he was the one in tears.

Taking to TikTok, he shared a heartwarming response. “A big man like me, I’ve been crying the whole day.” He added that he often thought about Natasha whenever he drove by the place he picked her up that day and wondered how she was doing.

“I never knew I saved her life I was just there to give her a hug as I knew she’s not okay,” he shared. 

@barthodick3 #SAMA28 #savedsomoneslife#neverknewsuicideisnotthewayout ♬ original sound – the Uber driver

The pair later reunited on a video call.

“We video called, cried and laughed,” Natasha shared.


Sources: Natasha Mulusa; Bartho Dick 
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About the Author

Ashleigh Nefdt is a writer for Good Things Guy.

Ashleigh's favourite stories have always seen the hidden hero (without the cape) come to the rescue. As a journalist, her labour of love is finding those everyday heroes and spotlighting their spark - especially those empowering women, social upliftment movers, sustainability shakers and creatives with hearts of gold. When she's not working on a story, she's dedicated to her canvas or appreciating Mother Nature.

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