People may be lifesavers at times, even if they are total strangers.
A petrol station worker assisted a woman who was stranded on the road with no gas or money and no route home.

Monet van Deventer of Cape Town, South Africa, went to refuel and realized she had neither cash nor credit cards with her.

She had just noticed she had forgotten her card before depleting the gas, but the assistant, Nkosikho Mbele, was very kind and understood her situation.

Monet attempted to stop him as he approached the automobile to wash the windows.

I had a strange feeling I had forgotten my card. “I then started looking for it, and while I was looking, Nkosikho started washing my windows,” van Deventer explained to Times Live.

She said that he didn’t have to wash her windows since she had forgotten to take her credit card and would be unable to pay. The worker, on the other hand, noticed the red warning light on her petrol gauge and was not about to let her drive away.

I thanked him and said, “Thank you for washing my windows, but I can’t put gas in today.” She went on: « He seemed nervous and astonished since he was glancing at my gas gauge, which was already in the red.

Because it was possibly unsafe, the 28-year-old gas station employee couldn’t let this defenseless woman back on the interstate. That’s why he made her a kind offer: he offered to pay her gas bill of over a hundred rands (around seven dollars) so she could safely drive across the N2 freeway with enough fuel.

He pulled out his credit card, walked over to the clerk, and paid for the gas.

“‘Ma’am, you can’t run out of petrol on the N2,’ he said.” And he said, “I’ll pay R100, and every time you get near, just give me R100 back.” Monet related

In reality, Monet didn’t have time to think about it.

He started filling her petrol tank and insisted on helping this lady.
Even though it was expensive, she thought it was something Shell sold at first, but it was just a personal transaction.

At first, I thought it was a corporate thing for Shell to do this for you, but then I saw him use his card and pay for it. It hit me as I was driving away. What had just happened?

Mbele is a minimum-wage worker, and the cost was nearly as much as he made in one day.

The gas attendant didn’t have much money to spare with a weekly income of 1,100 R (about $75). He wasn’t sure he’d see his money again, but he couldn’t risk abandoning the girl.

When I asked her how low the fuel was, she said it was low. Are you going to make it? When I asked, she answered, ‘I’m not sure.’ “I simply replied, let me do this for you,” Mbele later told Times Live.

A few days later, the woman returned with his money and a package of chocolates.

When she returned, I was pleased. I could see in her eyes that she valued my help. Do you know how someone feels when you do something nice for them? Mbele added, “I could see in her eyes that she was glad that I had done something for her.”

Monet’s story quickly went viral on Facebook, with hundreds of people applauding the man. She then decided to arrange a successful fundraising drive for him.

“I’d want to do something in his honor since Nkosikho saved my life,” she stated on the crowdfunding page. “He lives in Khayelitsha with his two children, mother, and brother, and any presents will be very appreciated.”

The fundraiser garnered around $94,000, an incredible figure for the fuel worker—equivalent to approximately eight years of employment. The story spread across the company, and he was nominated for the Regional Service Excellence Award.

Shell has agreed to provide $35,000 to the man’s favorite local charity.

“I saw the excellent news and wanted to call and thank you for the great work you’ve done,” said Hloniphizwe Mtolo, chairperson of Mbele. In reaction to what the public has done, we have decided to donate R500,000 to a charity of your choice.

It’s incredible how one little act of kindness can have such a great impact!