“Praise for Azaniya – It was just an incredible display of the combination of the young man’s humanity and the older man’s grace and tenacity.”

photo by Diane Krauthamer

“Dear PoPville,

A friend of mine witnessed an incredible act of kindness by an Uber driver and wanted to share the story and asked me to forward it to you… I hope you can share it.

On Monday the 11th, I watched one of the most humble, incredible acts of humanity I’d seen in my 38 years in Washington DC.

And the young person who did this was an Uber Eats driver.

There was a middle aged guy crossing 14th St NW, right at P St.

This corner is a particularly busy one as you know.

It’s said to have one of highest Walkability Index Scores in the DC Metro area and as such it’s a crossroads for multiple bus lines, bike lanes, and plenty of car traffic.

The man was spasmodic and walked with a cane.

My uncle had Cerebral Palsy and this gentleman moved like my uncle.

And it looked like it was a challenge to get out there and walk around, so good for him for doing so.

He had to be a tough man to venture across 14th St. I wouldn’t be as brave as he if faced with similar challenges.

I was transfixed when a young Uber Eats driver helped him up the curb, the last hurdle for him crossing 14th.

The look in the older man’s eyes seemed to be to one of gratitude that anyone would stop to help him.

That alone should earn this young man all the accolades that can be heaped on him.

Then the Uber Eats man looked down and saw the guy’s shoes were untied. Both of them.

Mr. Uber Eats set his delivery down on the curb, knelt down on two knees, and tied both of the guy’s shoes.

And then the two of them were on their way.

It was over in a flash.

But it left an indelible impression on me.

I’ll never forget the young man helping him up the curb, tying his shoes, and watching the man walk away.

Hustling over to the delivery car, that was legally parked on 14th St I may add, I thanked him profusely for being so kind.

I asked him if he had a card, which should indicate my age, and he said no he didn’t but he’d text me his contact info.

He said his family was from Ethiopia and his name is Azaniya.

Not sure how else to thank Azaniya aside from sending him a note letting him know how gracious he was, which I did.

It was just an incredible display of the combination of the young man’s humanity and the older man’s grace and tenacity.

Maybe you can help me by letting Azaniya know that his reaching out to help this fellow was such a moving experience for some old guy (me) who was stopped at the corner?

Thanks seems so inadequate, but what else is there to say.

We should all be so lucky, and filled with gratitude, to have these two people in our city.”