‘Gifted Me a Bike’: Ex-Refugee Tracks Down Benefactor 24 Yrs Later

Mevan and her benefactor Egbert

(Photo: Twitter/@MeAndVan)

Although the Internet usually seems like a dark, cynical space where opinions are polarised, meaningless hashtag wars erupt, and collective bitterness exacerbates, sometimes, a positive piece of news comes by and restores our faith in the online world again.

After scouring social media rather frantically, some good Samaritans managed to help an 18-year-old girl find her benefactor. Mevan, who runs an automatic fact-checking service in the UK, asked the Internet to aid her in her hunt for the man who had bought her a bicycle when she was a kid.

When she was five years old, Mevan was at a refugee camp near Zwolle in the Netherlands. A kind soul had gifted her a bike then, a gesture which had profoundly moved Mevan. In her tweet, she says that she was driven to thank the man for his kindness.

In true Bollywood fashion, the entire universe seemed to have heard her prayers and conspired to help her, with the help of angels on the Internet, to meet her benefactor.

After 3000 plus tweets, a video and several messages of encouragement, she finally found him, and the Internet couldn’t help but brim with joy!

As it turns out, the benefactor, Egbert, and his wife had brought light to many other refugees’ lives, who too had expressed gratitude to the kind couple.

Refugees Remember Those Who Gave Them Hope

The next time you catch yourself ranting about the bleak, sordid place the Internet is, as you scroll down disheartening news pieces, think about Mevan and Egbert’s story for a little hope!