Fearing steep costs, he called an Uber instead of an ambulance

 

Fearing steep costs, he called an Uber instead of an ambulance. The driver who responded, Beni Lukumu, found Roman lying on the ground. Carefully, Lukumu helped him into the car, reclining the passenger seat. Their first stop was urgent care, but Romano’s injury was too serious, and he was quickly sent to the emergency room.

Lukumu insisted on driving Romano to the hospital, free of charge. When he found out that Romano had no family nearby to come help him, Lukumu took charge, signing him into the ER, and then sat with him from 2 to 8 p.m. Lukumu says the hours he missed at work didn’t even register, as his new friend mattered more. Lukumu had immigrated to the United States from the Congo at age 25, and so knew what it was like to be far from loved ones.

When Joey's grandmother tried to pay Beni for his time, he refused every single dollar, only accepting an invitation to family dinner.

Seven years later, the two remain close friends and still check in on each other regularly. For Joey, that one selfless act restored his faith in humanity when he needed it most.