• A viral act of kindness by a content creator who pushed a homeless amputee through heavy rain in Sea Point during the recent Cape storms has inspired millions.
• Chad Nathan started a campaign for Sidney Miller after learning about his difficult life – and donations now exceed R500 000.
• The story has sparked wider conversations about the homelessness crisis in Cape Town.

A simple act of kindness in the rainy streets of Cape Town has warmed the hearts of millions across the country and even the globe.

Content creator Chad Nathan’s emotional encounter with a disabled homeless man, Sidney Miller, during the recent Cape storm has now raised more than R500 000.

The viral moment took place along a rainy Sea Point Promenade during extremely violent weather.

Nathan, who goes by the name of Ginger With A GoPro, was going out for a run when he decided to take a different route, where he came across Miller, who was alone in the heavy rain.

Without thinking twice, Nathan decided to help him reach his destination, pushing his wheelchair for 4km.

Through his social media platform, Nathan raises awareness and funds for South African organisations that support vulnerable communities that are in need.

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Miller’s life story captured the hearts of many after it emerged that he had gone through years of suffering after a life-altering accident.

Five years ago, he was knocked over by a car in Sea Point. He reportedly did not receive compensation from the Road Accident Fund and was left disabled and homeless. One of his legs was later amputated, and he recently shared that he is scheduled to undergo surgery for the amputation of his other leg.

Nathan, who documented the interaction in an Instagram reel, started a BackaBuddy campaign for Miller, and it instantly gained traction, raising over R400 000 within the first couple of days.

“What really got me was his eyes. The way he looked at me when I helped him. Almost like he couldn’t believe someone stopped. Life is so unbelievably hard for some people,” Nathan said in the fundraising description.

Speaking after the incredible and overwhelming public response, Nathan says he did not foresee that his act of kindness would resonate so deeply with people.

“I’m so happy because what that story has done; it has shown people to be kind because you never know what other people are going through,” he said.

It’s been more than one week since the viral video, but supporters are still sending in their donations, with many of Nathan’s followers and other social media users describing the moment as one of Ubuntu.

“It’s such a beautiful thing reading all those messages. Every message came with a message of hope. From all around the world, I’m seeing people from Australia, London, America, New Zealand. It’s insane. There’s over 1 000 unique donors who came and donated,” said Nathan.

The story has also fuelled wider public conversations around homelessness in Cape Town and the challenges that vulnerable people face during harsh winter weather conditions.

“I really didn’t anticipate this opening up those discussions, but I’m happy it did because now we can actually see there’s such a big crisis. There’s a huge homelessness problem in Cape Town,” said Nathan.

He has since shared various updates online about new partnerships supporting the effort, Miller’s well-being, and the fundraising campaign’s progress, reinforcing what many social media users have expressed about the importance of long-term support rather than just temporary relief.

“I definitely think this will help. By partnering with the Angel Network and Super Troopers, this will definitely be long-term support. I don’t see this as something where the money runs out after two years. We are going to be managing the money properly, and we definitely see this as long-term support.”

Angel Network would invest the money and pay a portion to Miller every month so that it lasts a long time, Nathan said.

Additional donations have poured in, including a customised electric wheelchair sponsored by Aquazania and The Sweethearts Foundation, warm winter clothing, a prosthetic leg, and a new phone.

It has been a busy week for both Nathan and Miller. Thousands of social media comments and back-to-back interviews on TV shows like Expresso and radio stations, including 5FM and GoodHope FM, have given the story even more traction.

Supporters of the campaign titled Raising Hope shared their encouraging messages on the Backabuddy website.

Supporter Kayleigh said: “In a world that feels so heavy lately, this story restored my faith in humanity. Sydney’s positivity and kindness despite everything he’s been through are deeply moving. The compassion shown to him is a reminder of the good still in people. I hope he receives every bit of kindness he deserves.”

An anonymous supporter said: “Thank you, Chad, for restoring hope not just in Sydney’s life but in humanity. God bless you both.”

Supporters are encouraged to continue contributing by donating to this BackaBuddy campaign.

Editor’s note: An earlier version of this article stated that the BackaBuddy campaign has raised R1 717 759, for Miller. This, however, is the cumulative total of various campaigns led by Nathan. Miller’s campaign has raised over R500 000.

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