A bus driver who was the victim of a racist slur from a passenger says it was the kindness of an 11-year-old child on the same bus that helped him recover.
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Sanjay Patel, a proud African-Indian-Australian man, was driving between Swansea and Belmont on March 23 when a passenger accused him of not removing an alleged smoker from the bus, telling him to "go back to Africa or wherever you came from", he said.
"They got it half-right because I was born in Africa, but I was amused and upset all at once," he said.
Mr Patel, who came to Australia as a refugee when he was 10, said a young boy approached him after the upsetting verbal attack.
"This little boy came up and said to me that he was sorry I was treated that way," he said, referring to 11-year-old Swansea Public School student Brock Keena.
"He said 'I hope you're okay'. I shook his little hand and looked at him.
"It was a pretty ugly, unfortunate, horrible situation but his kindness really helped me to recover and carry on driving."
Mr Patel came to Australia as a refugee when he was 10 after fleeing Uganda. He became an Australian citizen in 1974 and has been working as a bus driver for the past four years.
"I really love my job. I just want to drive my bus peacefully and safely and get people to where they need to go. These kinds of disturbances are really distracting and dangerous and in fact illegal," he said.
To say thank you to Brock, Mr Patel organised a small gift through his bus company.
"We visited his school and made a presentation of thanks. It was just beautiful, it was really just so wonderful," he said.
"Brock showed real leadership we will hopefully have in the future."
Brock's mum Melissa Smith said her son didn't mention the incident until she was contacted by his school about the thank you gift.
"Speaking to Brock about that day, he can't believe all the fuss, he never even mentioned it prior to the school contacting me," she said.
"When we talk about all the recognition and efforts gone into finding him, he says 'I don't get it Mum, it was really nothing. I didn't expect anything for doing that'.
"His actions that day and his thoughts about all of this are a true testament to the great kid he is, he has made his whole family so very proud," she said.
Swansea Public School principal Brett Carr said Brock's act of kindness was a reflection of their "Restorative School" program.
"The program is about looking after each other and caring for one another and Brock's example of that is perfect in terms of what we're trying to help build within our kids," he said.
"What Brock did was one hundred per cent what we're about and I just love the fact that even though it was a seemingly little thing, it was quite a big thing that's had a big impact."
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Alanna Tomazin
Alanna is a journalist at the Newcastle Herald with a focus on education. She takes pride in regional journalism which she believes is crucial to informing our towns and cities. Have a story? Email her at alanna.tomazin@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Alanna is a journalist at the Newcastle Herald with a focus on education. She takes pride in regional journalism which she believes is crucial to informing our towns and cities. Have a story? Email her at alanna.tomazin@austcommunitymedia.com.au
