ABU DHABI // A little kindness can go a long way, as Irishman Liam Murphy found out after he paid for his Indian taxi driver to have a dream day out at Ferrari World.
Mr Murphy, from Cork, was in this country for work when he decided to visit the theme park on Yas Island.
Travelling alone, he struck up a conversation with his taxi driver Shakiha, who said it was a journey he had done countless times, but never had he set foot inside the attraction.
At Dh250 a ticket, the driver was priced out of visiting because, like many other expatriates in the UAE, most of his salary is sent home to support his family.
But Mr Murphy offered to pay for Shakiha to join him on the rides for a day of fun.
After he posted it on Facebook to share with his friends, his story began to trend worldwide.
“It has gone absolutely crazy,” he said.
“I flagged down a random taxi and asked him to collect me four hours later from Ferrari World.
“He said he had been here for 14 years, but not been there.
“He said it was a waste of money. I took him in and he said he hadn’t eaten anything that morning so had some breakfast, then we went on the fastest ride – probably not the best idea but he was OK.”
The pair went on the Formula Rossa ride together first, reaching speeds of 240 kilometres per hour, and then the Fiorano GT Challenge, where they rode in a Ferrari F430 Spider.
It made a nice change for Shakiha, who usually expects a four-hour wait in his taxi outside while the tourists are enjoying themselves in what is the world’s largest indoor theme park.
“The photos were great,” Mr Murphy added. “I wanted to buy some for him but he was having none of it.
“To have the story in Australia was as far away from my home as it could have gone. A story like this shouldn’t be world news. It just felt like the right thing to do.”
Mr Murphy’s kindness has since been recognised by Ferrari World with an offer of lifetime pass.
Jesse Vargas, general manager at Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, said: “We were very touched by the story and we wanted to recognise this great act of kindness. At Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, we always try to find ways to express our appreciation for such genuinely compassionate people and organisations.”
nwebster@thenational.ae
