'Kindness has no nationality.' Fresno resident gives Russian man his wheelchair at World Cup

A Fresno resident says he’s not a hero after giving a customized wheelchair to a Russian man he saw struggling during his trip to watch World Cup soccer games.

But many Russians beg to differ.

A viral video from Russian news site TOK shows the moment Abel Vera delivers a customized wheelchair to the Russian man who had been riding an older-looking chair. The video shows the man enjoying his new chair and testing it out in front of Vera. The video drew thousands of reactions and video shares. Vera gave a longer interview about the chair donation to another Russian news site, TV Rain.

The delivery was made June 21 in Moscow, Vera told The Bee on Saturday. It was during an eight-day trip to Russia. Vera, a soccer fan, said he witnessed the Mexico-Germany and Iceland-Argentina games during his stay.

Vera, who is now back home, had initially planned to give the wheelchair to a hospital or an orphanage. However, during a fan festival in Red Square for the World Cup, he saw the man in a “beat-up” chair and decided to give his chair then. The newer chair is worth about $10,000, according to Vera.

“It seemed like it was falling apart, so I told my friend Marco, ‘I think this is the guy who I think we should give the wheelchair to. Just look at it,’” Vera told TOK.

Vera went to Russia with two chairs – one that he’d planned to give away, and the other for his own use.

Vera said he is focused on helping others who may face physical challenges. He uses a wheelchair due to a September 2000 vehicle accident that left him paralyzed from the waist down. Since then, he and his friend Marcos Lopez have set out to help others in need. Vera said he has started an organization What Pushes You? that helps raise money to help people with disabilities. The organization is in its early stages, he said.

“We both come from humble backgrounds,” Vera said. “Our parents came to (the United States) illegally for the purpose of giving us a better life.”

Vera grew up in Coalinga and attended Stanislaus State, he told The Bee. According to his Facebook page, he is a behavior specialist at Coalinga State Hospital. He also coaches soccer at Coalinga High. Lopez, Vera’s friend, is an athletic director at a Sacramento high school.

Vera said he told a Russian newspaper that he and Lopez plan to help another man from Argentina who he met in Russia.

“He saw my push rim that makes it much easier for me to roll. He shared it was hard in Argentina to get something that nice,” Vera said he told the newspaper. “I gave him my contact information and made a commitment to help him get those push rims.”

Vera told Fresno TV station KMPH (Fox 26) that, aside from his daughter being born, gifting the wheelchair was one of the best feelings he has ever had. “Just watching this kid looking at his wheelchair. It was amazing,” Vera told Fox 26.

In their post to Facebook, TOK noted the amicable connection between Vera, a Mexican, and the Russian person. TOK wrote in Russian: “Kindness has no nationality.”

Vera echoed that sentiment, saying in the video, “The Russian people treated us with respect, very helpful, amazing country. I love it.”

This story was originally published June 30, 2018 at 2:12 PM.