UNSUNG HEROES UBER ‘FAIRY GODFATHER’ HELPED LONDON PASSENGER WHO’S NOW HELPING HIM AFTER ATTACK


When Kevin Morosky booked an Uber one evening last year, he didn’t expect to meet his ‘fairy godfather’. But the 35-year-old from south London quickly realised the man driving the car was exactly the person he needed to meet that day.


Struggling with his mental health, the filmmaker was at a low ebb. James, the man at the wheel, sensed something was wrong and refused to let the pair ride in silence. Kevin was able to use this Uber drive as a ‘therapy session’ and they quickly formed a special bond as the pair chatted. Kevin told Metro.co.uk: “The remarkable thing about this friendship is that every time I felt low after that first meeting, James would magically show up to pick up not only me but also my spirits. “He was and still is some kind of Uber fairy Godfather, if you will. “He was just a Uber driver who picked me up one evening and we got chatting, and on that particular evening I really needed to talk and more importantly listen to an older, wiser perspective. “Following that he would just show up when I ordered a car and we just built our friendship from there. “I’ve lost both of my grandfathers – so just having an older black man to talk with is something that was missing for me for the past couple of years. “Specifically, an older black man, a space to discuss my experience in the country compared to his and track what progression means on


PHTM NOVEMBER 2022


a generational, personal, and almost granule level.” The pair exchanged numbers and planned to go on walks with one another. But Kevin realised in August 2022 he hadn’t heard from James in a while, he hadn’t replied to his texts or come to pick him up. Some time later, Kevin was waiting for an Uber again and James arrived to pick him up. He had some troubling news. James revealed he had been attacked, beat over the head with a metal poll and robbed. His phone was stolen, hence the loss of contact, but even worse, James’ car – his sole source of income, the vehicle he had worked eight years to buy outright – was taken too. With mounting bills and loss of income, he had been left with no choice but to take out a loan with high interest rates and raid his savings to buy a new one. Kevin remembers the moment he found out about the news, he said: “I was heartbroken, angry, I wanted to get the person back – but James said do bad or do good – pick and so I chose the latter.” Kevin has now set up a GoFundMe page so James can pay back the loan early and ease some of his money issues. He has received an incredible


response and has almost raised £10,000, smashing the original £5,000 target. He said: “Many of mine and James’ conversations have circled around believing in the good of people and that the current feeling of despair is more so a reflection of the few and not the many. “I didn’t doubt for a second people wouldn’t come together – just because the government doesn’t care about community doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist.’ A Metropolitan Police spokes- person told Metro.co.uk: “Police are investigating a report of robbery that was alleged to have occurred in a car park near to Coleby Path, SE5, at approximately 01:30hrs on Saturday, August 6. “A man, aged in his 50s, reported being approached by a man who assaulted him and stole his car. “Officers attended and the man was taken to hospital. His injuries were assessed as not life- threatening. “Enquiries into the circumstances are ongoing. No arrests have been made.” To donate to Kevin’s GoFundMe page you can do so here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/ud3 27-james-needs-a-little-help


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