'It's amazing' - Woman inspired after taking viral photo of boys helping elderly man across Auckland road

May 20, 2019

Blake Ockleston and Daniel Coyle-Smith have been receiving praise for their kind deed.

A woman who took a photo that went viral of two boys helping an elderly man across a West Auckland road says society needs more young people like them.

Friends Blake Ockleston and Daniel Coyle-Smith, both 13, had been chasing Pokemons on their phones in New Lynn when they looked up from their screens and spotted the elderly man who needed a helping.

"We see this elderly man struggling and shaking, walking through here. So we asked if he wanted help to cross the road," Daniel told Seven Sharp back at the scene.

Halfway across the road, the boys decided their frail friend would be better off sitting on his walker rather than walking behind it.

Daniel said he stood on the road "and told the cars to stop".

The boys then shepherded the man across another intersection to the New Lynn train station.

"We asked one of the security guards to take him down and take care of him on the train and stuff."

A photo of the boys' kind act was taken by mother-of-three Lyguesshah Brooks who Seven Sharp took along to meet the Good Samaritans.

"I can't wait to bring my kids up exactly the way your parents did. It's amazing," Ms Brooks told the boys. "I don't even know a word for it."

She said "we really do" need more like them.

"You guys are really good kids. It really touched my heart to see the boys helps the old boy. He was struggling. Doing it by themselves was so amazing."

The boys' act of kindness has had a huge reaction on social media.

"Well done boys. There are some young people who can teach older people a thing or two," was one of the many comments posted.

Another read: "Changing the world one small kindness at a time."

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