Cuotto allowed Robert to hold his hand during the 30-min bus ride
An act of random kindness goes viral on the Internet. A photo which captured a young man’s heartwarming attitude towards a special needs person was posted on Twitter and has since stormed all platforms of social media, making the day of all users who stumbled upon it.
The photo shows Godfrey Cuotto holding hands with a special needs person on the bus. The man, said to be named Robert, entered a heavily crowded bus and had panic attacks while onboard.
He reached out to Cuotto, who started comforting the man, reassuring him that everything will be alright. Cuotto was on his way home from a restaurant when Robert got on the bus and wanted to shake his hand. Cuotto had some reservations at first, but after witnessing the distress in Robert’s eyes, took his hand and reassured him that he was in a safe place and there was nothing to fear.
Another passenger sitting in a seat in front of Cuotto took the photo and immediately posted it on social media. The anonymous stranger who originally posted the photo on Twitter captioned it in a manner to explain the background of the event. He also took the time to thank Cuotto, both in person and on social media, for giving care to a special needs person on a crowded bus, when nobody else would.
The photo became so popular that it caught the eye of the Huffington Post, which later interviewed Cuotto in person about his act of random kindness. Cuotto said that Robert kept holding his hand throughout the bus ride. At first, he thought he was getting pranked for a hidden camera TV show, but later realized that Robert’s need of sympathy and comfort was genuine.
The McMaster University student went on to say that he identified with Robert and that if he had been in a similar situation he would have also appreciated the gesture from a stranger in a time of need and emotional turmoil. The bus ride lasted for half an hour, a time in which Cuotto allowed Robert to hold and kiss his hand, hug him and confess his need for emotional reassurance.
“I just allowed it. Sometimes you just have to be selfless and put someone else’s needs above yours,” said Cuotto during the interview with the Huffington Post.
Family members have also praised Cuotto’s act of emotional generosity after witnessing the photo on social media. It was later revealed that Robert is deaf and suffers from cerebral palsy. When reaching out to Cuotto, he was feeling overwhelmed by his surroundings on a packed bus after a stressful day.
Photo Credits: Twitter
