Free of charge and selflessly, a 22-year-old taxi driver from Spain transported an Italian student who was trapped in his country, due to the coronavirus lockdown, to Italy.
After a series of unfortunate incidents that prevented her from returning by plane to her home country, 22-year-old driver Kiba Amantigi decided to help his unknown peer, Giada Colalto.
Giada has been in Bilbao as part of the Erasmus program since the 1st of February for six months. "When the coronavirus pandemic broke out, I decided to stay in Spain and see how the situation would develop," the young student told CNN.
However, when the university closed in mid-March and classes and exams were announced to continue online, she realized she had no point in staying there. "I was alone; my two roommates were already gone."
After hours on the internet and phone calls with the Italian embassy on how to escape, Colalto managed to buy a plane ticket from Madrid to Paris, then Rome and finally Venice. Though, on the 8th of April, due to restrictions imposed on her, Madrid's airport announced that she could not board her flight.
"I was desperate and angry, my parents were worried, but they were unable to help me. I called the embassy, and they asked me to send them an email. All the hotels in Madrid were closed, and there was no transportation to return to Bilbao," she added.
A friend of hers knew a taxi driver in Bilbao and contacted him. "He immediately said he was available to come and pick me up and drove nine hours from Bilbao to Madrid and back to Bilbao."
The setbacks were not over as Colalto, returning to Bilbao, found that her apartment was no longer available. Amantigi offered to host her at his family home for the night. "His parents and two sisters welcomed me as a member of their family. I will never forget their kindness," says Kolalto.
The next morning, the two 22-year-olds began working hard on the possibility of returning to Italy. "We contacted the local authorities and, as unbelievable as it sounds, we got all the necessary permits. I was allowed to travel as I was returning to my homeland, and he, as a taxi driver, because of his job."
At 8 a.m. on the 10th of April, the two left Bilbao and arrived in Montebello, Italy, 12 hours later. Despite the strong police presence on both the Spanish and Italian borders, no one checked them.
"I insisted on paying him, but he told me 'I don't want to take advantage of you as I see that you are in a difficult situation, don't worry about the cost'" she admits, adding that the young man only asked her for travel expenses to transport her from Madrid in Bilbao.
Her return to her hometown caused an "explosion" of joy and tears of relief for her parents. Her family hosted the young taxi driver who left the next morning loaded with "goodies" (wine, grappa, chocolates from the area).
"It's something I will never forget," the 22-year-old admits, adding that the young man traveled a total of more than 3,000 kilometers to serve a complete stranger: "This pandemic can bring out the best in people," she said.
Photo credits to: edition.cnn.com
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